Learning to Ask
by Sivol
Summary: Home is where the heart is, but what happens when you don't know where your heart is? After Harry gets sent back to the Dursley's in the midst of a school year, strange things start to happen that leaves everyone baffled.
1. Questions

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 1**

_Questions_

Harry stood outside of his Professor's office on the first floor. He shuffled his feet, wondering to himself what to do._ I know that if I just jump straight to my questions, she'll know instantly what I am trying to hide..._ He thought seriously to myself. _I'm just glad that classes are out for the day, I can go in and spend hours talking with her, and maybe she'll not understand the real meaning._

He raised his hand and lightly rapped on the door. An unmistakable female accent greeted him, "Come in." it rang.

Harry opened the door and made his way inside. The room was sparsely decorated, a small desk with a chair by the window that held a few things, another chair to the far wall, a fireplace that was very plain in comparison to the others he'd seen around the castle, and a door off to the left.

He smiled at the woman. "Hi Professor McGonagall." He stated. "I was hoping since the classes were out, that I might talk to you for a little while."

"Why of course Mr. Potter. What troubles you?" She asked.

"Well," he began, "I have come to realize that I know very little about the Wizarding World, being raised by muggles and all... And I was wondering if you may fill me in on some of the customs that I may not know about." For good measure, he added, "It would mean a lot to me, Professor."

Minerva flashed a small smile, and motioned for him to sit down. "It would be my pleasure. Now, do you have anything in particular you wish to know?"

Harry nodded. "Yes Ma'am. Though, before we begin, I was thinking that this may take a few hours, so if you're busy or anything I can come back at a later time." He hastily added.

"Oh pish-tosh Mr. Potter, I was merely re-reading some letters from long ago. I have plenty of time, unless I'm called for something." Her smile grew. "Go on then."

Harry nodded, and smiled back at her. "Well, I was wondering..." He thought for a moment._ I didn't really expect to get this far tonight, I have no false questions to ask... I must improvise!_ "I was wondering if you could tell me why it is that Witches and Wizards still send owls, when it would be much more convenient to floo call someone." He asked, though he already knew the answer to this one.

"Oh, that's all a matter of convenience. No doubt you've seen others make floo calls, and you have probably noticed that they do not stay for long. That is because a floo call is quite uncomfortable. Seeing as how you must put your head directly into the flames to call someone, and stay in that position for any amount of time the parties involved wish to talk, it can also be strenuous on the back." She placed her hand on her lower back hip to show her point. "With an owl, all you have to do is write a letter, attach, and send. Though the floo is much better in case of an emergency."

Harry nodded and smiled a bit, showing a false sense of sudden realization. "I see, I see. Okay, well, what about drinks? Why is it that we, the students, are allowed to drink Butterbeer, and not Firewhiskey?"

The woman looked at the boy for a moment, sensing he wasn't really interested in the answer. "Well, Butterbeer has little effect on Witches and Wizards. Firewhiskey on the other hand, can outright inebriate you, hence why it's legal for 17 and up, once a person has come of age and can make decisions that may affect their future with a little more maturity."

"Ah" Harry said. He asked a few more questions, then came to the first of three that weighed foremost on his mind. "What are the customs for marriage?" A sudden interest flashing in his eyes.

"Each family, depending on it's lineage, has certain traditions that are seen to at their bonding ceremonies. There are four basic laws that each family must abide to. One, the partner with the most money and political influence will be the one whose last name is taken. Two, a person may be betrothed to any other person at any time in their life, even before their conception, by their parents."

Harry's face paled a slight bit at that piece of information, but Minerva continued on. "Three, once a person is married, they have exactly one year down to the very second to bond with their significant other. Four, if a person is married to a creature of any sort, the Ministry can not interfere, as many lines, from vampire to werewolf, predate our laws, and have their own rights. This mainly stems from most magical creatures being completely monogamous, mating once for life."

Harry was surprised at this information, and showed it a bit, then thought. _Well, that didn't really answer my question, but it was informative._ "Is it true that Snape is a vampire?"

The woman laughed outright at this for a few moments, then tried to stop her chuckling when she realized the boy was serious. "Oh how rumors do fly. Mr Potter, I can say with certainty that **Professor** Snape is not a vampire." She said, putting emphasis on the word he'd forgotten to use. "However, he does have some qualities that the muggles attach to vampires, so I can see how such rumors got started in the first place." She chuckled again.

Harry was a bit glad to hear this for some reason, and was happy that she took it as she did, since he was sure the man himself would have been angry at the assumption. He pressed on with some more questions, then finally got to the second that weighed heavily on his mind. "Why do we use brooms if we can apparate? After we get our license I mean."

"Not a lot of Witches and Wizards can successfully apparate without splinching, or going nowhere at all. In fact, less than 1/4 of each graduating class here at Hogwarts can even attain a license for such. It costs a lot of magic, and many just do not have it in them." She explained.

Harry's eyes widened in disbelief. "That can't be true." He protested. "I've already apparated a few time. Accidentally I assure you, and when I was in danger, but I've still done it."

"Surely Mr. Potter, you are aware of who you are?" She raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Ugh, don't tell me this has to do with all of that, 'Boy-Who-Lived' mumbo jumbo." He grumbled.

"I'm not quite sure what, 'mumbo jumbo' is, but is most certainly does. You were not only born with a great deal of power, you also received another influx of it the night you attained that scar." She said, motioning towards his forehead.

"Oh joy." He said under his breath. "Another thing to set me apart from the rest of the world." If the woman heard him, she didn't let on that she had, so he continued with a few more questions, until he finally came to the last, and most important one on his list of 3. "What is the wizarding world's views on... well... on homosexuality?" He asked.

Minerva again raised her eyebrows questioningly. _Ahh, and now we get to the root of all this nonsensical question asking._ She thought. "Well, for the most part, no one cares what you do with your partner. About half of the population is bisexual, and at least another fourth are homosexual, and then another fourth are heterosexual. There are some who claim to not be attracted to anything, though they fall into the bisexual category for most people. It's just another facet of life." She explained.

Harry looked embarrassed for a moment. "Thank you Professor." He stated warmly.

She gazed at the boy, not able to stop herself, she asked, "Why did you ask that particular question?"

He sprung his head up, and answered quickly, "Well, I have a friend who recently told me he was gay, and it didn't bother me, but it made me wonder whether or not it was accepted here or not." This was not all a lie, he did have a friend, who had told him he was gay, but this was not the reason he asked if it was accepted or not. "In the muggle world, being gay or bi is considered wrong by most people, and some even get beaten or killed for it." He said in a lowered voice, knowing all too well what kind of beating people would get for being gay.

"Why in the world would they do that? That's preposterous, you can't change the attractions a person feels by trying to beat it out of them." She said, outraged that such a thing would go on.

Harry decided that it was time to call it quits with his Head of House. They wrapped up their conversation just in time for dinner, and so they went to the great hall.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry was picking at his plate, barely eating anything he had piled on to it. His head resting in his left hand, and his right stabbing at food with a fork. His mind kept replaying the conversation he just had with Professor McGonagall.

Finally taking another bite, he glanced up at the High Table, and saw the previously mentioned Witch speaking with Professor Dumbledore, who just nodded, glancing at Harry every now and then. The boy paled as he realized they must be talking about him, and hastily walked out of the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione in quick pursuit.

Stopping outside of the doors, he slunk against the wall and steadied himself. _Surely she hadn't figured out the questions I had really been in there for. Oh Merlin, I hope she wasn't telling him everything I had asked._

Hermione pulled him out of his thoughts. "Harry, what's wrong?" She demanded. "You just left without saying a word!"

He glanced at her. "Sorry... I don't know what came over me, I just started to feel..."

Ron chimed in, "Blimey mate, you look sick." He stated, matter-of-factly.

"Do you need to go to the hospital wing?" Hermione asked, a caring tone in her voice.

Seeing this as a quick escape without having to explain things, he nodded. "I think I do." Standing up, he started off for the infirmary, the two in tow behind him. He called over his shoulder, "Go back and eat guys, I'll have Madam Pomfrey call you if something happens."

Ron and Hermione dejectedly went back to the Great Hall.

As Harry walked into the hospital wing, the Medi-Witch came rushing to him. "I suppose a month was too long to ask you to wait before going off and injuring yourself?" She asked in a motherly voice.

Harry smiled a bit. "No Ma'am, I was just not feeling well. I don't think it's anything, but my friends made me come down here." He only half-lied.

She eyed him carefully, ran a few diagnostic spells, and stated, "Well you're fine Mr. Potter." Harry looked a bit anxious at this, and she added, "Though if you would like, I suppose I could let you lie on a bed for an hour or so." She raised an eyebrow expectantly, and he nodded, a brief smile passing his lips.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry was walking into his dormitory when someone handed him a note. With the crowd of people in the common-room, he wasn't sure who had gave it to him. Walking to a corner, he opened it and read.

_Mr. Potter,_

_Please come to my office at 7:30 pm tonight for tea and licorice. We have much to discuss._

_~A. Dumbledore_

Harry smirked to himself. _Short, sweet, and to the point._ He thought. Glancing to a clock, he noticed that it was 7:21, and decided to go ahead and get going. Better early than late.

As he walked the corridors, he found himself growing in anticipation of what was to come. He wondered if this had anything to do with the talk that he and his Head of House had earlier.

Reaching the gargoyle, he said, "Licorice", and watched as the staircase spiraled upwards. Making his way up the steps, he heard what sounded like chatter suddenly stop. Reaching up to rap on the door, Albus called out before his hand even touched the wood.

"Come in, my boy." The old wizard stated.

Shaking his head, Harry walked into the office. "You wished to see me, Sir?" He asked.

"Yes, quite right. Please sit down." The aging wizard said, motioning to an empty seat. As he sat, he finally noticed Professor Snape sitting in the seat next to him, scowling and refusing to look at the boy.

Growing in wariness, he asked, "What is this about? What did I do?"

"You haven't done anything _yet_, Potter." The dark man sneered. "But you will, I assure you."

Albus simply raised his hand to silence the man, then turned solemnly to the youngest in the room. "Harry, you may want to brace yourself for this... It has come to my attention that your Aunt has been in some sort of accident, and is currently bedridden. Your Uncle has asked me to return you home, as he fears that this may be the last chance you have to see her."

Harry paled greatly at this. He couldn't go back, he didn't know what he would do at that house without his Aunt to protect him. She had always slipped him food, covers, and more when she thought Vernon wasn't looking, and had earned herself quite a few bruises when he caught her.

Noticing the look on the boy's face, Severus glared, thinking he just wanted an excuse to do magic.

Albus didn't really seem to notice the look at all, and simply continued. "We have already sent house elves to pack your belongings, you are leaving tonight." He stated.

"Please" Harry choked out. He knew this wasn't good, he knew he would have hell to pay for coming back during a school year, even if it was his Uncle's request. He just didn't know how he was going to face it, he'd only just healed from last summer.

Misinterpreting the boy's plea, Albus put a hand on his shoulder. "No need to worry, we're sending you via port-key." He said.

Suddenly, a house elf popped into the room and bowed. "Master Harry Potter's belongings is right here," She said, patting the trunk beside her, the popped out again.

Albus took the boy's hand, placed it on the trunk, then thrusted the port-key into his other hand, whispering the password that Harry didn't catch. There was no way he could back now, short of someone else coming to get him.


	2. Answers

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 2**

_Answers_

Harry felt the pulling as he was sucked into the house he had come to loathe at 4 Privet Drive. He was greeted by Dudley, shouting at him. "This is all your fault! Mom would have never got hurt if it hadn't have been for YOU!" He punched Harry one good time, straight across the jaw, and the younger boy promptly passed out, his last fleeting thought wondering where Hedwig was.

Some time later, in the middle of the night, Harry woke to a wretched sound. He could only describe it as a wet, deep, gurgling coughing. Putting a hand to his head to stop the pounding that resided within, he glanced around to figure out where he was.

Bare walls, tiny cot, scratched floor, threadbare sheet, unidentifiable stains everywhere... Yup, he was back at the Dursley's.

A groan of aggravation escaped his lips, and was much louder than intended. He only hoped it didn't alert his uncle to the fact that he was awake. _Too late._ He thought, as stomping was heard from the hall.

The noisy sound of a multitude of locks being opened on his door made him start to panic. He tried to act like he was asleep on his cot.

"Get up, boy. Come see your aunt." Vernon demanded.

Harry rose from his 'bed', and silently followed the whale of a man into his own bedroom. Looking in from the door, he saw his aunt laying on the bed, her body covered in bruises and what looked like hard bandages wrapped around her left foot and right forearm.

"Don't come in any more than you already are. I don't want your freaky stuff to rub off on my personal space." The man ordered.

Petunia was staring at the boy, and what looked like sorrow was apparent in her eyes. Vernon, however, took it as accusation, and promptly dragged the boy out into the hall, yelling at him. "This is all your fault boy! You got under her skin, and for some reason she started telling me that you deserved _better_. HA! She wouldn't shut up about your, 'well being', so **I** had to shut her up!" He screamed, backing the boy to the top of the stairs. "You should have been the one to fall, not her!" He yelled as he pushed the boy and sent him tumbling down.

Harry landed near the front door in a great amount of pain. "GET TO WORK BOY!" Shouted his Uncle. He tried to get up and found that his right wrist wouldn't move the way it was supposed to, and he'd figured it was broken. _Nothing I can't live with, it's been broken before._ He thought, wincing at the pain.

He knew that this had to have been what happened to Petunia, and though he could live with the pain, he knew it had hurt her considerably. After all, her thin frame, lack of muscle or fat, and weak strength made it entirely too plausible that this was how she ended up as she was. _But what were those hard bandages wrapped around her?_ He thought. Deciding not to worry about it, he lifted himself up with no amount of ease, and located his chore list taped to the front of the cupboard.

_Dishes  
>Sweep<br>Mop  
>Breakfast<br>Dust  
>Vacuum<br>Stain Deck  
>Lunch<br>Make Beds_

The list went on and on, and he decided to just start and get it over with.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

After the men in the house, excluding Harry, had eaten, Vernon went to work, and Dudley to school. Harry made his way upstairs with a tray of food for his Aunt.

Walking into the room, she groaned a bit, and he placed the tray on the bedside table, falling to his knees by the woman. "I'm so sorry." He choked out.

"R... uhn." Petunia tried to tell the boy. "He... kil... yu." She desperately tried to warn.

"I don't know what you're trying to say Aunt Petunia." Harry admitted.

She made a motion with her finger that looked like she was trying to write something, and harry quickly ran to get paper and a pen. After a few tries, he realized that she couldn't grasp the pen, so he ran to the cupboard, with a quick, wandless, 'Alohamora', he unlocked it. Reaching into his trunk, he grabbed some ink and ran back to the room. Putting some on the woman's fingers, she began to write on the paper.

_RuN He ll Kill you_ She wrote out. He grabbed the paper, read it, and shook his head. "I can't leave you Aunt Petunia." He whimpered. "He could kill you too."

A voice called from the doorway. "I thought I told you to stay out boy!"

"U- Uncle Vernon." He stammered. "I thought you went to work."

"Yeah well I forgot something. You're in trouble now." He snatched the paper from the boy's hand, saw what was written, and glared at his wife, then Harry. "Oh you're in deep trouble."

Snatching the boy up by the nape of his neck, the man drug him down the stairs and threw him roughly into the cupboard. Harry opened his trunk, and frantically started searching for it, knowing he could have *something* that would make this right. Suddenly, the door was opened.

"Looking for this?" Vernon smiled wickedly, dangling the wand in his fingers. Harry reached up to snatch it, but the man slammed the door in his face. "We'll just see what you can do without it." He laughed

Harry heard the sound of his uncle talking, apologizing, saying he was sick. _He must be calling off of work today._ Harry thought. No amount of energy he could put into the wandless magic he tried could unlock the cupboard. Finally he sat there, awaiting the worst. As he expected, his uncle came back, almost ripping open the door, and snatched him from it. Then, the beatings started again.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

"Professor Dumbledore, Professor Dumbledore!" Hermione screamed, running into the man's office. "Professor Dumbledore, Harry left Hedwig here!" She rose her hand to show the man the snowy owl in that old cage.

Albus sighed. "Have you tried just releasing her to find the boy on her own?" He asked.

"Of course! She refuses to leave the cage, and when we magic the cage away, she finds it again, and sits back in it." She said exasperated.

"Alright then." The old wizard said. "I'll make sure she is returned to Harry."

As the girl ran off, Albus made a firecall to one Severus Snape. "Severus?" He asked into the flames.

"What is it?" The man demanded from the other side.

"I need you in my office please." Dumbledore replied, not leaving any room for argument by removing his head.

A few seconds later, Snape came into his office, saw the bird, and sneered. "Did they send him back already?" He asked.

"No, my boy. It seems that young Mister Potter has left his owl here at school. I would like you to return it to him." Albus stated.

"No. Surely there has got to be someone else in this place that he would much rather be interested in seeing to return his bird." Snape's eyes narrowed.

"I'm afraid not Severus. It seems that everyone else is busy today, and you're the only one who hasn't formally made any plans to go somewhere." The older wizard said, pushing the cage into Snape's hand. "You really should get going." He said, the twinkle in his eyes growing.

"Fine." He growled. "I will only go to return the bird, then I will be back and I expect no more interruptions today." He stalked off.

As he reached the barriers, he apparated to Privet Drive. Walking up to number 4, he knocked on the door. A bit of noise and a minute later, a very large man answered.

"What can I do for you?" He asked politely.

Snape eyed him, "I have come to return this to Mister Potter." he stated, showing the man the owl.

Vernon's eyes widened, and a look of malicious glee crossed his face. "Of course, I'll just give it to him." He stated, reaching for the cage.

Severus noted the look and held the bird back. "I'm afraid that I must return it to the boy personally." He lied. "Wizarding laws and all that."

Vernon's face became angry. "Well he's not here right now." He said, then started to close the door in the other man's face.

A loud thump and groan was heard from behind the whale of a man, and as the door almost closed, Snape put his foot in it, drew his wand, and forced his way inside. "Do not lie to me muggle. Where is he?" He demanded.

Vernon backed up, his eyes betraying him as he glanced nervously to the cupboard. "He's not here I said! Get out of my house you freak!"

Snape, hating being called a freak, flicked his wand, and a body bind came over the man. He went to where Vernon's eyes had trailed, and with an, 'Alohamora', he opened the cupboard. Out slumped an unconscious Harry in nothing but boxers, bleeding from several wounds, his legs over his trunk, and his face hitting the floor.

"He did it all to himself." Vernon angrily yelled. "He's one of those self, mutilating freaks!"

Snape glared at the man, "You honestly expect me to believe that this boy could reach his back in such ways?" He snapped angrily, shrinking the trunk and sticking it in his pocket. He grabbed the cage, spelling a rope across the top, and attached it to his arm. "I'll be back for you." He scooped up the boy noticing that it was far too easy to carry a 16 year old, put a locking charm on the house so Vernon couldn't escape, and stormed outside. _How dare he hurt this child. A muggle! _Glancing over the boy, he noted that he was in no shape to apparated, so the man made his way to Figg's house.

Kicking the door, he shouted, "Figg, It's Snape, I need in."

The squib opened her door, paled at the sight of the man and what he was carrying, and ushered him inside. "What on earth happened?" She demanded.

"I need your fireplace, I can't tell you right now, he's lost too much blood." Snape said.

Figg grabbed some floo powder off of the mantle, and threw it in. Snape called out, "Hogwarts Infirmary." Then stepped into the flames.

Coming out of the other end, a Medi-Witch rushed over to see what the noise was. Seeing the Potions teacher carrying a student all bloodied and battered, she quickly prepared a bed, and ordered him to lay the boy down.

As she started her medical scans, Snape stormed into the Headmaster's office.

"ALBUS!" He yelled. "Do you have any idea what I saw at the boy's house?" His voice demanded an answer.

Dumbledore looked up at the fuming man. "I'm afraid not Severus." Noticing the cage roped around the man's arm, he looked perplexed. "Why did you not give him his owl back?"

Severus put the cage down, pacing furiously. "That boy was beaten to a bloody pulp when I got there!" He yelled, and Dumbledore's face became sullen as the twinkle escaped his eyes. The dark wizard continued. "His uncle tried to tell me he wasn't there, and when I told him that I had come to return the owl, his face lit up like a malicious child at Christmas."

Albus stared at the bird, and Snape went on. "Do you know where he was?" He demanded, slamming his hands down on the headmaster's desk. "He was in the cupboard, under the stairs, just thrown in, unconscious, over his trunk like a doll!" His voice seething with anger.

"I had no idea." Albus said. "If I would have known, I would have never sent him there."

"If you would have known? What about all of those times he's asked to stay at Hogwarts for the summer, or each year coming back withdrawn from his peers?" He said, then realization set it, and he made his way to a chair. "I saw the signs. I saw them and did nothing. All because of some juvenile hatred I held for his father."

Albus and Severus discussed what was seen, both of them feeling a deep sense of regret. Finally, Severus said something that sparked the headmaster's memory. "When I left you did your damnable twinkling thing again, what was that about?" He demanded.

Albus smiled a bit. "I had figured that if you were the one to return Hedwig to him, that maybe you would both become a bit more civil with each other."

Severus' eyes widened a bit. "That was unusually straight forward for you."

"Yes, well, the situation deems it necessary." The old wizard said.

Suddenly, a voice came from the fireplace. "Harry's just woken up, and he's confused and scared. He's run off screaming nonsense."

Albus and Severus looked at each other, Severus running from the room, knowing that a delusional abused child could easily get hurt in the castle, and Albus called, "Gather the teachers that are here, and start a search." He demanded.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Snape halted in his steps, hearing a shuffling coming from his left. He made his way into the empty classroom. "Mister Potter, if you are in here, you need to know you're safe. No one can hurt you here, you're at Hogwarts." He said as calmly as possible.

A voice called out from behind a teacher's desk. "He was so angry at me when he picked me up. I know where I am but he's going to hurt me because he saw what I let happen." It whimpered.

_Who is he talking about?_ Snape wondered. "I can assure you that I will not let that happen." A head popped up from behind the desk. Snape made his way over to him.

Harry couldn't tell who was coming to him, his hearing hadn't returned all the way, and his glasses were broken somewhere in his trunk at the Dursley's. As the black human shaped blob came towards him and into view, his eyes widened, and he scrambled towards the exit.

Snape grabbed him, forcing him into his arms, holding him uncomfortably close. "What has you so afraid here?" He wondered aloud.

"You... you... you're mad at me." The boy cried out, trying desperately to get away.

"I am not mad at you Potter, what gave you that idea?" He asked, his voice showing some anger which made Harry not quite believe him.

"You picked me up and you were yelling at me, said you'd be back for me." His eyes started to sting, but he bit back the tears. He wouldn't cry, he never cried in front of anyone.

"I was not talking to you." The man snapped. Then in a slightly calmer voice, he added, "I was talking to your uncle."

At the mention of Vernon, Harry resumed trying to run away. "No, no, I can't go back, don't take me, you can't make me!" He screamed. He bit at Snape's arm trying to get the man to release him, but to no avail.

_DAMNIT that hurt_. Snape winced at the bite, but he held on tight, and started to rock slightly. He whispered nonsense to the boy trying to calm him. After a few minutes, Harry's breathing evened out, and his body grew limp. He was asleep, exhaustion finally claiming him.


	3. Pain

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 3**

_Pain_

As Harry's eyes fluttered, he noticed that he was back in the infirmary, yet again. He groaned trying to raise himself up, feeling a sharp pain shoot through his back, he lay back down. A sudden movement at the side of his bed caught his eye.

Fumbling for his glasses, he reached them and slipped them on his face. He thought for a second, _These were in my trunk... And broken... Who?_ He decided to find out later. Glancing to the movement that had startled him, he sharply took in air and held his breath. Sitting there, asleep in a chair, was his most hated Professor. Seeing him brought back the memories of the last few days, and he couldn't help but hate himself.

As he laid his head back on the pillow, a voice called from the other side. "Harry, are you feeling ok?"

Recognizing the voice, he smiled a bit. "Yes Madam Pomfrey. My back just hurts a bit."

The woman scoffed. "I'd say more than a bit, it's torn to pieces." She shook her head.

Harry didn't really want to get into a discussion on why he was in that state, so he simply changed the subject. "What's he doing here?" He asked, motioning towards the sleeping Snape.

"I'm not too sure, to be honest. I tried to get him to go back to his room, and he refused, saying that someone needed to be here who could help if you suddenly went off on another tangent like yesterday." She admitted.

"A tangent? Then you mean that wasn't a dream?" He asked.

"What do you remember about it?" The Medi-Witch demanded, trying to ensure that the boy's memory was still quite alright.

"Well, I remember waking up here, fearing for my life, running into some room, and then someone came and got me, I tried to run from whoever it was, but they held me. They made me feel safe..." He smiled while he remembered. "It was the first time I ever truly felt safe."

Poppy smiled a bit, deciding not to tell him who gave him that safe feeling. "Well, it's good that you remember that much, I suppose your memory is fine."

"Who was it?" Harry asked. "Who held me?"

"I wont be telling you that young man, it is up to the person who did it to inform you, and only if they wish to." She said, her voice became an octave louder to ensure that Snape heard her.

Snape was sitting there, his breathing even, and even allowing a small sound to escape every now and then to ensure that the boy thought he was asleep. He noted the sound in Poppy's voice, and had to fight himself not to scowl at her.

Harry started to get up, but Madam Pomfrey lightly pushed him back down. "I don't know where you think you're going, but you are not to leave this room." She scolded. "If you are hungry, just call for Dobby." She informed.

Harry's eyes widened. "I thought Dobby was off somewhere."

"Oh no. After you took the liberty to free him against his owner's will, he decided to work in the kitchens here. Seems he can't stand to be too far from you." She stated, eyeing the boy.

After she made her way from the room, Harry glanced to the sleeping Professor, and called for Dobby.

A pop sounded "Yes? Mister Harry Potter sir, Dobby is pleased to see you." The elf squealed.

"Shh Dobby, you'll wake up Snape." Harry quieted the small creature.

"Dobby is sorry Harry Potter Sir. Dobby will be sure to hit his head against a wall later."

"No, no Dobby, that's quite alright. Can you get me some sort of food?" He asked.

"Oh yes, Dobby can." Then the house elf popped off. A few seconds later, he returned with a tray of sandwiches, and placed them by Harry's bed. "Is there anything else Dobby can do for Harry Potter?" His eyes pleaded.

"Yes, actually, there is." harry said. He eyed Snape again, just to make sure he was asleep. "Dobby, can you retrieve my journal from my trunk?" He asked. "And my invisibility cloak?"

Dobby shook his head. "Dobby is under orders to not give Harry Potter the invisibility cloak. Harry Potter may run off."

Harry laughed quietly. "How about if you were to charm the cloak so I couldn't wear it. Could you give it to me then? I really need it to keep my journal safe from prying eyes." he said.

Dobby nodded, delighted. "Yes, yes, yes, Dobby can do that." Another 2 pops later, and Harry had his items.

"Thank you Dobby." He said, handing one of the sandwich halves to the elf. "You can eat this. That's all I need."

Dobby nodded, his eyes glistening with tears. "Mister Harry Potter Sir is too kind to Dobby." Then popped off again.

Wrapping the journal up in the cloak, and setting it beneath his pillow, he started eating a sandwich. "I'm not shure how I'm gonna eat all thish." He said lowly to himself with his mouth full.

Snape decided that it would be as good a time as any to, 'wake up'. He groaned, and stretched his arms over his head, opening his eyes. Looking at Harry eating, he said, "Well Mister Potter, I see that you have woken, and haven't decided to run from the infirmary again."

Harry looked to him, "Yes Sir." he said. "I'm sorry if I caused any chaos yesterday." He added quietly.

Snape rubbed his arm a bit where the boy had bitten him the day before. Poppy came back in to see him rubbing the bite mark, and she swatted his hand away from it. "Roll up your sleeve." She demanded.

The man glared at her. "I assure you, I am fine." He stated.

She returned the glare right back. "And I assure you, you are not! Now roll up the sleeve, and don't make me detain you." She ordered.

He reluctantly rolled the sleeve up, noticing that the boy in the bed beside him had only eaten 2/3 of a sandwich.

The Medi-Witch undid the bandages and revealed a nasty, bloody wound on his arm. After a disinfectant charm, a cleaning spell, and reapplying the bandages, Harry finally spoke. "What happened?"

"It is of no concern to you." Severus snapped.

Poppy looked at him, her eyes demanding. "Why don't you tell me then?"

"What makes you think that if I didn't tell you yesterday what happened, that I would tell you today?" Snape asked. "I have no intention of word getting out about the cause of this predicament that I seem to be in, and it would surely be of great embarrassment to me if it did." He stated with finality.

Poppy shook her head. "Fine." She said, then huffed off.

Harry spoke next, "You can have one of the sandwiches if you want Professor Snape. I can't eat them all."

_Can't, or won't?_ Snape thought to himself. "I ate lunch at the time it was served, and have no need for more food until dinner." He said. "You should eat it."

Harry looked down. "I'm quite full already." he said.

"How can you be full Potter? You've eaten two thirds of a full sandwich." He demanded.

"I just am. I don't eat a lot." He said uncomfortably.

"And why not?" The man demanded.

"I.. I don't want to talk about it." Harry said, laying back down. "I want to try and sleep some more, I'm very tired."

Snape raised an eyebrow, then out of the blue, the boy turned his head to the man and asked, "Hey, I saw the bandages on your arm, and they reminded me of something. When I was at the Dursley's, my Aunt had bandages on her foot and arm, but they were hard, and it looked like there were a lot. Do you know what those were?"

Snape thought a minute, but shook his head. "Probably some muggle contraption." He stated. "I don't know why your Aunt would be wearing bandages like that."

Suddenly, Harry remembered what his Uncle Vernon had said. _You should have been the one to fall, not her!_ His words rung out in Harry's head, and he whispered. "Because of me." Not realizing he had said that aloud.

"What was because of you?" Snape asked.

Harry's eyes widened. "Sorry?"

"You said, 'Because of Me.' when I said that I had no idea as per your Aunt's Bandages." he stated shortly, hating to repeat himself. "What happened because of you?"

Harry saw the man staring at him, and did NOT want to have this conversation with him, so he said, "What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have classes to teach?"

Snape snorted. "It's a Sunday Mister Potter, there are no classes today, and tomorrow starts the beginning of the Christmas Holidays." A sneer apparent on his lips. "That is beside the subject at hand though, you didn't answer my question." He stated blankly, not wanting to let the boy know that he was looking out for the runt's well being. _Why am I even trying to help? It's not like HE wants to be around the greasy old potions professor._

Harry sighed. "I would rather not talk about it right now. I'm going to sleep." And with that, he planted his face firmly into his pillow and willed himself to sleep.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry woke up again, sometime during the night. His shifting had again woken the Spy next to him, but the man didn't let on that he was awake.

The boy reached to the table at his side, and grabbed his wand. "Lumos" He whispered, and taking note that no one was awake, he extinguished the light, and sat his wand back on the table. With a bit of wandless magic, he whispered again, "Lumos", and a ball of light came into his hand, hovering above his skin. He reached back, grabbed his journal, and began to write in it.

To say that Snape was stunned at such an ability of wandless magic would be an understatement. Not only did the boy break eye contact, and concentration, he was writing, and yet the light stayed there, floating in the air. With his eye barely cracked, he wondered what the boy could be writing, or even if he knew how powerful he had to have been to be able to do such.

A few minutes later, the light started to dim, and Harry grew sleepy. Finally, as he dropped back on his pillow, the light faded completely. The journal was still on his legs, and open to the page he had been writing on.

Snape looked at the boy, then the journal._ I really shouldn't read it_. He thought to himself. _I'll just wrap it back up in that infernal cloak and put it under his pillow._ He did just that, then went back off to sleep.

Another few hours passed by, and Harry woke, realizing that he'd fallen asleep with his journal out. He began to panic.

"Did you lose something?" A deep voice came from beside him.

"Oh, no.. No Sir.." Harry said, and he flopped his head back on the pillow. He felt the hardness of the book hit his head, and he almost sighed in relief, but then he felt the sharp pain of a wound on his back, and yelled out.

Poppy ran to his bed, demanding to know what happened. "I, I don't know!" Harry said. "I laid back and it hurt!"

After a few minutes of both Poppy and Severus trying to turn the boy over, they finally succeeded. The woman glanced over his back and sighed. "You can't lay on your back for today Mister Potter." She stated. He groaned in protest, but she cut him off. "The wounds on your back can't heal if you're on them all the time. Now, where did you get these wounds?" She demanded.

Harry tensed, then lied, "I can't remember... I think I must have gotten in an accident."

"You're as bad as Severus, not wanting me to know what happened." She said.

"At least I don't lie, I just tell you that it's none of your business." The dark wizard snapped.

Harry blushed a minute, then said. "Sorry... But I'm not comfortable with telling anyone yet."

Snape stared at him. _You never will be comfortable with telling anyone._ He thought. _But you need to tell at least one person, to help you heal._ He cursed himself for the thoughts that riddled his mind. _When did I become so understanding about Harry's problems?_ He scowled, then his eyes widened a fraction. _WHEN did the annoying little parasite become HARRY?_ He demanded of himself.

Harry stared at him, noticing that the normally stoic, unreadable face had become tense, and worried. He wondered what could have gotten him so worked up. He started to get lost in his thoughts, and then more memories of the night he went back to the Dursley's flashed across his mind.

For several minutes, it seemed that both were unaware of the world around them. Then a noise drew Snape from his thoughts. Harry was struggling in his bed, his eyes glazed over.

"I'm sorry." The boy whispered, unaware that he was anywhere but at the mercy of his uncle.

Snape looked at him. "What for?" He asked.

"Please don't." Harry wimpered.

"Don't what?" Snape demanded, growing short in patience.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault." He whispered. The boy's struggling increased, and his voice rose. "Please don't, I didn't mean to!"

Poppy came in, demanding to know what happened. "I have no idea, he just started talking and flailing about." Snape said.

"Please don't! I'll do anything else, just please, not that!" Harry started to scream.

The professor and the Medi-Witch shared a look. Poppy went to grab him, but Snape stopped her. "I think he's in a flashback. If you touch him, he may lash out at you. The boy is strong, and you may get hurt, let me." He ordered.

She nodded, a bit of fear in her eyes. Snape started talking to Harry, saying nonsense trying to talk him out of it.

"You weren't supposed to read it!" Harry screamed. "It's mine!" He quieted down for a moment, and the two adults thought that maybe it was over. "I own nothing." He said in a small, frightened voice. "I'm not worth it." He repeated, as if he were reading a grocery list. Suddenly he became frightened again. "NO NO PLEASE NO DON'T TOUCH ME!" Screaming, and putting his hands on his bum, he continued pleading.

Snape realized then, by the boy's actions, that he was reliving a rape. He grabbed the boy, and pulled him into his arms, rocking him. "Shhh, Potter, you're at Hogwarts, everything's alright, no one's touching you in that way."

Poppy's eyes grew in realization, and she ran off to get a dreamless sleep. Coming back, she handed the vial to Snape.

"Listen, you're ok, you're not being hurt." The boy was calming in his Professor's arms. "Drink this, it will help." The man stated, putting the potion up to the boy's lips.

Harry's body was simply not cooperating, and his mind was reeling in all directions, then he felt something cold up against his lips.

Snape tilted the boy's head back, and forced the potion down his throat, rubbing it so he would swallow.

After Harry had finally succumbed to sleep, and Poppy had went off to report to Dumbledore, Snape decided that he should read the journal, if only to help the child. Grabbing the book from beneath the pillow, he stuck it in his robe.

As the Medi-Witch came back, she said that Harry would be moved into a private room. "You may come as well, you seem to know more about the situation than I, and you can calm him down." She admitted.

Snape nodded, and after everything was set up in the private room, the door closed, Snape took to the chair, and opened the journal to read from Page 1.


	4. Invasion

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 4**

_Invasion_

Snape opened the journal in the private room and began to read. After about twenty pages of what seemed like a normal teenage boy's life, he came to a startling entry.

_Night time_

_I don't know what day it is. I never do anymore. Hopefully this is far enough in that if anyone starts to read it, they'll get discouraged by the other entries. I will look for a spell to make it so muggles can't read these entries when I go back home._

_Home. Hogwarts is my home. This house is nothing but a pool of bile. I was punished again today, but I don't know why. Aunt Petunia had a bruise too. It's the first time I've ever seen her like this. She stayed away from me, and didn't even try to bring me any food tonight... I fear that bastard caught her finally. She was the only one who cared enough to feed me, even if it was just a piece of toast every night... Now, who knows how long until I get food again. The last time she went to visit a friend, she stayed for 2 weeks, and Uncle Vernon didn't feed me a thing... He didn't even let me out of my cupboard for the first week, until the house got so messy from him and Dudley that he couldn't stand it. Then he drug me out and made me clean. I hope this time it doesn't get that bad, I could barely do my chores that time. I didn't have the strength and kept falling._

_I have to go, I heard some sound, I think Vernon's up._

_~HP_

Some more pages riddled with false senses of happiness went on, and then he came to another one of the true entries.

_Morning_

_I woke up today from a vision. Voldie was angry, and demanded to know why Snape hadn't located me yet. He yelled at him, "You work for that blasted school, you should know where the boy lives!" Then yelled, "Crucio"._

_I know Snape knows where I live, I've seen him at Arabella Figg's house before, checking on me. He was staring from the window, and I was working in the yard. Luckily I had my glamours up. I don't think he noticed me._

_Back to the dream, I felt a lot of pain when Voldie yelled that, and I saw Snape writhing on the ground. He's very brave to lie like that, especially with his punishments. He didn't even cry, just yelled once. I don't think I could do that. I think I respect him, I just wish he didn't hate me._

_I know it was a vision, because in my nightmares, I don't feel the pain, but in my visions I do. I will tell Dumbledore about them when I go back._

_I need to get back to my chores, Uncle's going to beat me when he gets home because they wont be finished. I shouldn't have written._

_~HP_

Snape was stunned. The boy had seen that? He felt that? He respects me? He thought. He decided to read on, and found the next entry.

_Dark_

_I don't know what time it is, or even if it's day or night. I was locked in my cupboard again. I had a very disturbing thought today. I don't know where it came from. I was in my room, and my mind wandered, then I thought about Hogwarts. It seemed like a memory, but I can't be sure. I didn't see a face, but I saw hands and black robes push me against a wall. They were saying something, but I don't know what, and I do know they were a man's hands. It felt so good in some strange way. They were protecting me from something, but it felt nice. When I stopped thinking, I noticed that I had got hard... I think I'm gay._

_I got in trouble because I said out loud that I thought I was gay when I found out, and Vernon was standing outside of my door. He punished me... then he... I don't want to say what he did. But I will say, that he took full advantage of the state that I was in, and called me every name in the book. I don't understand though, why he called me a fag, cause you smoke those, I can't be smoked. Unless someone sets me on fire. Sometimes I think that wouldn't be so bad. Just set on fire and left to die. It'd be better than this._

_~HP_

Snape was irate to say the least. His suspicions about the boy being raped had just been confirmed. He stormed around the room quietly. Looking to the boy when he heard snoring, his features softened a bit. He returned to his seat and resumed reading when he found the next real entry.

_It hurts. I don't know what it is today or tonight. I hope school comes soon. I can't live here like this. If I run away, the wards will fall and Aunt Petunia would be in danger. She snuck me some food again today. A piece of toast and a slice of cheese._

_I brought it on myself. I got lost in someone's voice in my mind. It was talking about herbs, cinnamon, thyme, it just kept talking. It seemed so familiar, but I couldn't place it. I lost myself in touch. When it said, "Mister Potter, PAY ATTENTION!" I realized as I came that it was Snape I was thinking about, and I almost screamed, "SNAPE" at that realization. I didn't scream it in fantasy though, I screamed it because I couldn't believe my mind wanted the man. Then Vernon stormed in and caught me with my hand on myself. It was horrible, he taunted me about fantasizing about some guy, and I spoke before I thought. I told him, "He's a great man, not some guy!" Then I realized what I said, and got smacked across the room. He beat me again. He touched me again. Then he took it a step further than he ever went before and forced..._

_I don't know why I was thinking about Snape. It's not like He's handsome. He's not that bad to look at either though. I mean yeah his nose is shaped weird, but it's probably because it's been broken a lot. Being a Death Eater, he would have to have suffered a broken nose from it. But it's not too bad. It almost looks roman in a way, aside from that one bump on the very top._

_And his hair may be greasy, but thats because of those potion fumes he's around all the time. Sometimes on Sundays, when he hasn't been hovering over potions for so long, his hair is very normal. Almost soft._

_His face may have wrinkles in them, but it's because he keeps a permanent scowl on. If he's just loosen up a little and let his face relax, he'd stop looking older. I don't know why I'm thinking about him like this. I mean really, why am I trying to convince a book that the man isn't ugly like everyone else thinks he is. Why. I just thought about what happened earlier. Me coming and screaming his name. That would look so wrong if anyone ever looked at it from an outside point of view. Can people even do that? I remember Hermione saying something about Legsinlamency. Or something. I don't think that's right._

_It hurts. I have to stop writing, I think my rib's broken again, and I need to rest. I just hope I get a night's sleep before Uncle makes me do chores again._

_~HP_

Snape's mind was trying to take in all that it had read. Wondering why in the world the boy would be thinking of HIM of all people, and why he had said those things. After arguing with himself some, he pressed on, and came to the very last entry.

_Infirmary_

_I am in Hogwarts. I haven't had a chance to write in my journal since I've came, Hermione's made sure of that. She can be annoying sometimes, but I still love her like a little sister._

_Severus rescued me from the Dursley's. Can I call him that? Why not, it's not like he'll ever read this. He rescued me. I woke up in his arms, and he was yelling that he would come back for me so angrily. Well, I thought he was yelling at me at first. Then for some reason when I woke up today, I thought he was yelling at Uncle. I wonder why he rescued me. I fell back asleep in his arms after he was yelling. I don't think he noticed I was awake to begin with. I wish I could have stayed awake to just be close to the man, but he wouldn't have liked that. At least I can always remember the feeling of him. It's not like he'll ever hold me again._

_He's sitting right beside me. Asleep in a chair. I don't know why, but I feel safer with him here. He's like a watch dog. Not a dog. I wonder if he knows how much younger he looks when he's asleep. I wonder why I keep feeling things for him... Maybe it's just some crush and I'll get over it. It's not like he'll ever return the feelings. I wish we could start over. I wish he could see me and not James._

_He's never lied to me, not once. I have no reason not to believe him. And when I asked Sirius if what Snape said about James was true, he admitted it, and laughed. He actually laughed! He thought it was some big joke! I was so pissed. I refuse to call a man who would hurt someone like that my father. James may be blood related, but he is no father to me if he can treat someone like Severus like the Dursley's treated me._

_My Lumos is growing dimmer. I need to get some sleep. I'm so tired. I think when I get better I'm gonna try to make things better with Severus. I don't want the man to hate me._

_I want to prove I'm not James. I want_

The entry ended abruptly, and Snape figured that it had happened when the boy fell asleep. He got up, and walked to the boy's bedside, and after placing the book back in the cloak and under the pillow, he just looked at Harry. After a few minutes, Poppy came in and saw him looking.

"Well, did something happen?" She asked rushing over to the bed.

"No, nothing." He said. "You need to find another person to watch over Harry while I'm gone. I need to leave for today and tomorrow."

Poppy was stunned at the Professor's use of the boy's first name. "Yes, of course."

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Severus walked around Diagon Alley. He wasn't sure where he was going, or what he needed, but he just needed to get out of the school, to think and clear his head. _Why am I uneasy being around a sleeping boy? It's because he's a boy. He's a child, a student. No, he's 16, and in half a year, he'll be of age, he's a young man. But he's still a student. Why does he think I hate him? That's idiotic, because I've shown him nothing to say I don't hate him._

His mind kept going and going, and soon he found himself in Flourish and Blotts. He walked up to the counter. "What can I do for you?" The teller asked.

"Do you have any spell books that contain a spell allowing one to transform particular pages of a book into something else, to keep muggles from reading what was written?" Snape asked, unsure why he was even there.

A few minutes of searching, idle chatter, and one very uncomfortable Snape later, he was walking from the store with a shrunk book and bookmark in his pocket.

He apparated back to Hogwarts, where he went to his dungeons for the night, to get a good rest, and to mark the page for Harry.

The next morning, he called for Dobby. "Could you put this in Harry Potter's trunk?" He asked the elf, handing him a package wrapped for Christmas with a note on the top.

"Oh yes sir, Dobby will." He said taking the package and popping away.

Severus made his way down to the Great Hall for some breakfast. He took his seat, and just as he started eating, Poppy came into the room. "Ah there you are!" She said, grabbing on to his arm. "You need to come with me."

Snape growled at the woman, took an apple with him to eat, and went on with her.

As they entered the hospital wing, he heard whimpering coming from Harry's private room. Dropping the apple he quickly walked in. Harry was sitting in a corner, curled up around himself.

Poppy came in a moment later. "He's been like that since I checked on him this morning. He wont respond and wont look at me. he just sits there, and when I try to move him, he screams." She said, aggravated.

"Okay." Severus said. He walked over to the boy, and bent down. "Potter, can you hear me?" No response. "Harry?" Again, nothing. He decided to do what he knew calmed the boy before. He grabbed Harry, who started screaming, pulled him into his embrace, and rocked him, whispering senseless words to him.

"Come on now, you're at Hogwarts. Harry, listen to me. You need to calm down." The screaming turned to whimpering. "Good Harry. Now listen, I am going to pick you up, so you're going to feel a little off balance for a minute, but I'm going to carry you to your bed, okay?" He said as he stood up.

After 2 steps, Harry looked up, and squeaked. "Professor Snape?"

Severus looked down at him. "Yes." He said flatly, unsure how to act around the boy, the contents of his journal flooding back into his memory.

Harry blushed as he was set down on the bed, and turned an even deeper shade of crimson when the aforementioned professor pulled the blanket up around him. "Thank you" He said weakly.

Snape cleared his throat. "No need to thank me Mister Potter." He stated.

As he pulled his hand away from Harry, the boy's grip tightened on it. "Please stay." he whispered.

Snape looked perplexed, but nodded, flicking his wand to bring a chair over to him, allowing the boy to grasp his hand.

"Thank you again." He whispered once more. He settled into the bed and mumbled. "I must be dreaming." Then, brought the hand to his chest where he snuggled into it, falling asleep.

"My sentiments exactly." Poppy muttered as she walked from the room, shaking her head.

Snape shifted in his seat, quite uncomfortable at the death grip the sleeping young man had on his hand. Why did I stay? He wondered.


	5. Admission

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 5**

_Admission_

Again, Harry woke in his bed. He had something warm against his chest, and proceeded by snuggling into it, thus waking the sleeping Potions Professor. As he held on, he realized it was a hand. In fact, the same hand that held him earlier. _Oh I get it, I'm dreaming. No way Snape would let me do this._

As the man roused, he saw the boy trying to act as if he were asleep. _He still doesn't know how to control his breathing when he acts... I may have some fun with this. _He tried to tug his hand away, but still the boy's grip was a hard one.

Sighing dramatically, he muttered aloud. "How am I ever going to teach class when I seem to have suddenly sprouted a Potter-shaped appendage."

Harry's breathing halted for a moment, wanting to still pretend he was asleep. _Class! I forgot about class... Wait, I am not even supposed to be back, I don't have to go to class... Wait a minute, it's the Christmas Holidays! That git! Two can play at that game. This is MY dream after all._ He smirked inwardly, and tightened his grip.

Snape raised an eyebrow questioningly. He decided that it may be best to not have the bit of fun he was going to, as it would surely traumatize the boy to see his emotionless Potions Professor show anything but anger. He used his other hand, and proceeded to, 'wake' the boy by shaking him, and sliding his hand from the grasp that held it close.

"Unnnh. Not fair." Harry protested.

"What, pray tell, isn't fair?" Snape asked.

"I'm dreaming and you still act like a git." He said. "I thought at least in my dream world you would give me what I want." Opening one eye, he looked at the man.

"I can assure you Mr. Potter, that you are most certainly not dreaming." The dark wizard replied.

Harry's head shot up. "You mean... I was just... Holding your... your... hand?" He demanded.

"I would say putting it in a death grip would be a better choice of words."

Harry blushed considerably. "I'm so sorry. I thought I was dreaming. Oh Merlin, I called you a git! I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He babbled on apologetically, his body tensing with fear.

Snape rose a hand to silence him. "It's quite alright. You were incoherent at the time you decided to attack said hand, so I allowed it."

The boy flopped his head back to the pillow. "Yup, you allowed me to hold your hand. I'm dreaming."

This statement earned a low chuckle from Severus, one which he did not intend to allow escape, but found it's way to the surface anyway. "You're not dreaming."

"You giggled... You're right, I'm not dreaming. I'm dead." He pulled the pillow from under his head, and placed it over his face.

"I most certainly did not, 'giggle'. I chuckled." The man replied defensively. "In either case, you more than likely wont remember it the next time you wake up, and if you do, I can pass it off as delusional ramblings."

They went back and forth for a few minutes, then Severus decided that since Harry was obviously feeling better, it was time that he took some personal leave from the blasted infirmary, and set off to have this day all to himself.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Severus walked back into the boy's private room in the hospital wing, taking note that he'd been writing again, as the tip of the invisibility cloak was hanging from the side of the boy's pillow. Desperately wanting to read what the young man may have scrawled about him, he reached for it. Only a sound escaping Harry's lips made him stop.

"No." Harry said in his sleep state. Snape looked at him, and wondered what he must be dreaming. "Yes." he said simply, again the same tired sound in his voice.

He didn't appear to be having a bad dream, just a very detailed one, so Severus decided to watch and see how it played out, in case it turned into a nightmare.

"Yes." Harry said again, his breathing labored. A hand trailed across his bit too thin stomach. "Mmmm", He licked his lips.

_Oh Merlin. _Snape realized. _He's having a sex dream._ He quickly got up to leave the room, and just as he was closing the door, he heard a cry. "Professor!" It sounded almost as if in pain, so Snape hastily cracked the door again to check and make sure everything was alright.

He was met with the sight of a 16 year old Harry Potter arching his back on the bed he lay in, hand attached to his groin, a wet spot appearing on the sheets, startling back into an awakened state at the sudden climax.

Snape just stood at the door, it cracked slightly, not making a peep. He felt like such a voyeur. Harry looked around the room, relief flooding his face that he was alone, and wandlessly as well as wordlessly, spelled away the mess he made. Laying his head back down against his pillow, he felt the book, and decided to pull it out to write again.

Snape slowly backed away, ever so lightly, making nary a sound. When he finally got to a safe enough distance, he allowed himself to become absorbed in his thoughts.

_*It could have been any one of the professors here in Hogwarts he was dreaming about. That is a very rational explanation.*_

_Oh yeah, and how many other professors has he written about in such a sexual way?_

_*Be quiet. I know that he may have written about me, but it's likely it was just a crush, and he's on to other forbidden fruit.*_

_Oh you're a forbidden fruit now? Well I always knew you were fruity._

_*Shut it! There is no you and I, you are me and I am you.*_

_Oh look, trying to throw me off topic. You know that boy was dreaming about you, admit it, you liked hearing it._

_*I most certainly did not! He is a student and I am a teacher!*_

_Yes, a very nice student, with a delicious looking arse._

_*Stop that this instant!*_

_He's young and delectable. Like a freshly plucked grape, that when shown the proper care only age can bring, turns into an intoxicating wine at first taste._

_*Enough double entendres!*_

_Okay, how about straight forward. He came while thinking about you, _Professor_._

"Oh Merlin... I'm going crazy." The man sighed. Suddenly he realized that he had made his way to his room in the dungeons, wondering how he even got inside without saying the password. He decided that a good cold shower would be great for him.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Over the next few days, Severus decided to try and ignore the boy as much as possible, which wasn't hard, as he was in the infirmary until the 23rd, and it was only the 21st.

Eventually, throughout the day, he wondered if the boy was ok. Surely Poppy would have gotten him if he wasn't... But what if Harry asked her not to? He decided that he would check on the young man.

As he walked into Harry's room, he immediately noticed that the younger wizard was writing in his journal. Harry looked up, wide-eyed, slamming his journal shut. "Professor Snape! I was uh, I was just drawing." He said, which wasn't entirely a lie. He had drawn in his journal.

Snape nodded, not letting on that he knew what the book was, and came in. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He stated.

Harry's face heated as it turned a tiny bit red. "I'm fine... I thought that maybe... Maybe you had... Oh it's stupid." He said.

"Maybe I had what?" Snape asked, genuinely curious.

The boy lowered his face. "Maybe that you were mad at me for something... You didn't come around for days." He replied. "Maybe you hated me again."

Severus walked to the bed of the boy. "Look at me." He said. When Harry refused, Snape lifted the young man's face with an elongated finger, forcing him to look at the dark wizard. "I never hated you. I had to play a role, and when I found you at the house of your... Relations... I forwent that role. I will no longer act as if I hate you. Believe me when I say that hate is the furthest thing from what I think of you."

Harry's heart fluttered, his breathing grew shallow. "Why didn't you come back for days?" he asked, biting back tears. _I will not cry. I will not cry. I never cry in front of people._

Severus lowered his head this time, but looked back to the young man, his finger still firmly placed under the angular chin. "I felt I needed some time away from the hospital wing. I wasn't angry with you, I made a mistake and I was angry with myself. I will not go into further detail than that." He stated, removing his hand.

"What do you" Harry gulped, "think of me?"

Severus turned away from the boy and began lightly pacing the room. "I'm not sure what I think of you, Harry... I've never given you a chance before this last week, and I've not been able to draw my own conclusions yet. I want to get to know you before I pass judgment."

Harry started to tremble. He drew his knees up to his chest and his breathing increased. "You'd be the first." he whispered.

"What do you mean?" Severus asked.

"No one has ever wanted to get to know me before... Not even Ron or Hermione. They just want to make sure I'm ok, they don't want to know _me_. You're the first person ever to actually want to get to know the real me. Not the Boy-Who-Lived, or any other ridiculous name the rest of the wizarding world throws at me." He buried his head into his knees, and tried his best to calm himself.

"Does this make you... Uncomfortable?"

"I don't know... I've not had this before. No one's ever" A small sob escaped his throat, as tears started to fall. "ever cared enough about me to want to know me." _Thank Merlin my face is hidden._

Snape drew closer to the young man. "Why would no one care enough to know you?" He asked more to himself than the boy.

"Because I'm a freak." He answered coldly.

Startled, Severus proclaimed, "You are not a freak!" Harry didn't move. "Look at me." Snape said. Nothing. "Harry, don't make me do this again. Look at me." Still nothing.

Reaching his hand out, he grasped the boy's face, a bit rough, but still with an almost gentle caress. Forcing the boy to look at him again, he kneeled by the bed, and looked into his eyes, speaking with sincerity. "You are not a freak. Whoever told you that has no idea what they're talking about. I don't know why others haven't cared enough to know you, but please believe me when I say this, you are no freak."

Harry's eyes betrayed him and the tears he had forced to stop when his Potions Professor made him raise his head returned. In a moment of what he considered to be great weakness, he wrapped his arms around said professor and sobbed into his robes.

Severus was stunned when the boy broke down. He couldn't figure out what he'd said wrong to make the boy cry.

"I'm so sorry." Harry whispered, finally reaching a break in his sobbing. He looked up into the coal black eyes that stared at him with worried features. "Why do you care? Why don't you think I'm a freak?"

"Because you're not a freak." He grasped the boy's head and pulled him into the spot where shoulder met neck. "I don't know why I care, but I suddenly find myself unable to not do so."

After a few minutes in silence, Harry started to tense. Snape pushed him back a bit, and noted the glazed look in the boy's eyes. "Harry?" He asked. "Harry... Harry?" He shook the young man. "POPPY!" He yelled.

The Medi-Witch came rushing into the room. "What happened?" She demanded, sending an accusatory eye at Severus.

"I'm not sure, we were talking, then he got silent and his eyes glazed over." Severus stated truthfully.

Harry spoke in a quite creepy voice. "Why is he spending so much time in the infirmary?" He demanded.

Snape looked at the young man, startled at the sudden change of attitude. "I'm trying to help you, I to-"

"That's not an acceptable answer Malfoy! CRUCIO!" Suddenly, Harry's body started convulsing as if he were feeling the effects of the spell he uttered. His scream shrieked through the hospital wing.

Snape and Poppy were trying to hold him down, trying to snap him out of it, but he just wouldn't come. For a minute he writhed in agony, then as if nothing had happened, Harry scowled. "Do not come with an unprepared answer next time. I have SEEN through the brat's eyes, I know he's there. FIND OUT!" He screamed. "Oh, and Malfoy? Tell your father I said hello. CRUCIO!" Harry screamed again, only for about 10 seconds this time, then lay spend on the bed.

"WHAT on earth was THAT?" Poppy demanded.

"I think it was a vision... He was supposed to tell the Headmaster about them, but I don't think he ever got around to it. He feels the effects of whatever spells are cast in his visions." Severus said.

"And how exactly do you know that?" The Medi-Witch asked.

"I invaded his privacy." Severus admitted, ashamed of himself. "To help him."

Poppy ran some diagnostic scans, and noted that the boy was indeed suffering from the effects of the crucio. She ran off to get one of the potions that she saved for Severus after his Death Eater meetings.

Snape's mind was running at a lightning speed. _Does he realize he talks when he falls into a vision? If he wanted to find out why Harry was in the infirm-... He wanted to know why I was in the infirmary... With Harry... He said he saw through his eyes. He knows. He was bound to find out sooner or later, but I'd hoped it was later._

As Madam Pomfrey was pouring the vial's contents down the young man's throat, he sputtered and coughed. "He knows. *cough* He knows Snape is a traitor." He regained some of his composure, not a lot, but enough to talk properly. Turning to the dark wizard, he said. "Voldemort KNOWS you're on the light side. He's going to kill you." Again the boy's eyes welled with unshed tears. He stood in front of his bed, then dropped down to his knees beside where Severus was kneeling. "Don't let him kill you." He whispered.

Wrapping his arms around the boy, Severus whispered back, "I can't promise you that."

Harry wrapped his arms around the man's neck, then replied almost too low for the man to hear him -almost-. "He kills everyone I love. Don't let him kill you too." Suddenly the world fell away from him, and he succumbed to darkness.


	6. Realization

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 6**

_Realization_

Severus looked at Harry, who was sleeping on his bed. After just falling victim to a vision, then unconsciousness, he was sleeping quite peacefully. Snape shook his head a bit, and decided that he would go in for another invasion of privacy. Flipping the pages, he found an entry that he was searching for.

_Infirmary #2_

_I know someone is reading my journal, but no one's said anything about it. I suspect it's Poppy, and I know she wont betray my trust. I've always thought of her like a mother. I know if it were Severus, he would have chastised me about it as soon as I woke up. _

_Whomever is reading my journal, I ask that you keep it's contents private. As long as nothing is said, I will not spell the journal to attack you. I also want you to know that I do not expect to survive the upcoming battle with Voldie. That is why I am allowing you to read this. Someone will be able to know about me, and will be able to get the letters I am going to write in the back to whom they need to go to. _

_On the very last page, I have spelled a contract for you to sign. I expect it to be signed sometime within the next few days. It is a form of swearing on your magic, and you need not add your name, just mark the box._

_~HP_

Severus flipped to the back, and sure enough, there was a contract waiting for him to mark. He read over it, nothing seemed out of place, and he glanced over the last line again and again to make sure he read it right.

"I, the reader of this journal who is not Harry James Potter, do hereby swear upon my magic that I will not tell another living soul about the contents of said journal, unless directed to me by the aforementioned Harry James Potter, via writing, or spoken word."

Below that line were two boxes, one marked, 'Yes' and one marked, 'No'. Snape summoned a quill, and marked the box nest to, 'Yes', and underlined the word, then went back to reading.

_Infirmary #3_

_I woke up holding Severus' hand. He said that I had attacked that delicious hand when I was incoherent. I don't remember doing that, but it was still quite nice to wake up to. He even chuckled today. I think I must be losing it._

_I'd had another dream about him._

Severus stared at the word. _Another? _But continued reading.

_I dreamed that I was in the potions classroom, alone with him, and he sitting at his desk. I walked up to him, and said something, then he said something, and I retorted back with something else. We wound up kissing, right there in the classroom. It got a lot hotter and a lot heavier, I'm even too embarrassed to put it in writing what all had happened there in that wonderful dream. Then I woke up._

_I remember what was said, but I refuse to say it here, because I know someone else will be reading, and I don't want them to try and make us get together by telling him that. _

_Anyway, I woke up, and luckily I was alone. My voice was a little sore, I think I screamed out, 'Professor'. It was the first dream about him that actually made me come in my sleep. I spelled myself clean, then started writing here. _

_I want to tell him how I feel... I just fear so badly that he wont return the feelings. I can't stand to be rejected... I'd better go._

_~HP_

Severus sighed. He couldn't understand the feelings he had for this brat. He knew if he just came out and said how he felt, that the boy would know he had read the blasted journal. He had to admit though, knowing that Harry was indeed dreaming about him when he came did make him feel good... _Oh god, what am I turning into? _He wondered to himself.

Flipping the page, he noticed that this time, there were no fake passaged in between entries. He continued reading.

_Infirmary #4_

_Severus hasn't come back for days... I don't know what I did to make him mad. I get out in 2 days, and can go back to my dorm and catalog the rest of my items to see who gets what when I die. I can feel Voldie's rage growing. He's going to try and kill Severus, but I wont let him. He'll kill me before he gets to lay a hand on that man, and I will kill him before he kills me... But in killing him, I will die as well... I wish I had never found that spell._

_I found a spell in the Restricted Section of the Library here that will allow me to completely kill and destroy a soul, but it also calls for my own body. At least my soul wont be destroyed. It really didn't say that I would have to die, but it implied that my body would be weak beyond measure, and my magic almost completely drained from it. That alone would kill almost any witch or wizard. (A note to whomever is reading this, you are not to do a damn thing about what I plan on doing. If you try, I will be forced to obliviate you.)_

_I can't stop thinking about Severus. I have sifted through my thoughts and feelings, but the only conclusion I can come to, is that I love the blasted man. When he held me, to bring me back to my bed, it was bliss. When he let me hold his hand, it was magic. When he looks at me, I feel so safe. It's the same safe feeling I got when I was held in that classroom when I first came back... I think it was he who held me. I hope it was. He kept staying watch to make sure I was safe. I just wish it wasn't because I was a hurt student. That's the only reason he stays, because I'm hurt. But since I am getting better, I suppose he's going on his way. I can't blame him really. I wouldn't want to stand watch over a student like me._

_I feel the urge to draw... _

_~HP_

Severus' mind was going everywhere. _Love? He loves me? He said that the other night, but I thought it was just him trying to keep me safe. _He thought for a few minutes, then turned to page to see a half finished drawing of himself. It was very well done, even though the nose was smaller than his real one. Apparently when he walked in on the boy, he had just begun shading. Severus wondered why the boy saw him like this.

Just then, Harry's breathing stopped. The boy sat up in his bed and stared into nothingness, his eyes glazed. Snape quickly went to Harry's side, sliding the book beneath the pillow, and called for Poppy.

"He's doing it again." Snape said as the Medi-Witch came into the room.

Harry's face remained emotionless, but his voice was cold and cruel. "I told you not to come back without information Malfoy. You have disobeyed me for the last time."

Snape blanched, knowing that he wouldn't be talking to Lucius, specifically because he would have came back with information, even if it was false.

Harry continued. "Tell me, why do you insist on protecting him... Yes I am aware he's your Godfather, but he's a TRAITOR! CRUCIO!" The screaming and writhing began. Finally it stopped. Harry bellowed, "You fool! You dare defy me? You dare SPY ON ME? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN GIVING THAT OLD FOOL INFORMATION!" Silence... Pure silence...

Severus thought maybe it was over, but realized it wasn't when a malicious smile spread across Harry's face and he began laughing. "Only 2 months? You're useless as a spy, and you're even more useless as a Death Eater. I'm glad I kept you on such a short leash, your father was right to say that you couldn't be trusted."

Then, Harry put out his arm in mimicking movement of Veldemort and shouted, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" Suddenly, his pain filled screams filled the room, and broke the silencing barriers. His writhing became erratic, and his screams louder, if that was possible. He could be heard all the way from the Great Hall. Then, as quickly as it came, it passed, and Harry limply fell into Severus' arms.

Poppy was crying, thinking for sure that since the boy had lived through the crucio, he would be dead by now. A cough brought her out of it.

Harry started coughing, painful sounding, wet, deep coughs. He was indeed alive, but not entirely conscious. Poppy quickly went into nurse mode, and Severus just held the boy's hand, ignoring the looks the Medi-Witch shot to him.

Harry was flowing in and out of consciousness, and felt hands on his. He gave a squeeze to let whoever was holding his hand know he would be ok.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry woke sometime later. Looking around the room, he noticed intense black orbs staring at him. "Professor?"

"Yes." Snape answered. "Are you okay?"

"Not really... The last time he killed he wasn't so angry." He said. His eyes widened. "OH MY GOD! He killed Draco! Draco was a s-"

"I know. You say whatever the Dark Lord says when you're in a vision." Severus stated as calmly as possible, clutching the boy's hand.

"I'm so sorry." Harry choked out. "He was your Godson." He flung his free hand around the neck of his Potions Professor. "It's my fault. It's my fault." He sobbed.

"It isn't Harry." Severus tried to reason.

"Yes it is! I convinced him to spy!" The tears flew freely as he looked up into Snape's eyes. "It might as well have been me who cast that Avada Kedavra." He whispered.

"No," Snape said, wrapping both of his arms around the boy. "It is not your fault. But, you said something earlier, you said that 'last time', have you felt the killing curse like that before?"

"Yes" Harry said meekly. "It was never as strong as that though."

A few more questions were asked, then Harry realized he was still being held on to by the man and pushed him away, asking, "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?"

Severus was a bit disappointed at the loss of feeling the boy. "Because, you're much stronger than I ever thought. You've survived multiple killing and cutting curses." He couldn't stop himself from saying it. "I think I respect you."

Harry's head cocked to the side and he wondered where he'd heard that phrase before, but didn't really think about it. Severus was just happy he didn't notice the slip.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry was alone in his private room. It was the 23rd. He was getting out today, but it was still the dark hours of the morning. He chose to write.

Severus was pacing in his dungeons. It was the 23rd. Harry was getting out today, but it was still the dark hours of the morning. He argued with himself.

_*Why am I worrying about the child?*_

_Because you love him. _

_*I love no one.*_

_But you don't deny you have feelings for him._

_*He's a child!*_

_He's a young man._

_*He's a student!*_

_He's almost of age._

_*We have already been through this!*_

He went back and forth with himself for a while, then sighed. _You're right. I do have feelings for him._

Harry finished writing, and stuck his journal back in his invisibility cloak, which he stuffed into his robes when Poppy came in.

"Well, you are free to leave today. But if your wounds cause any more trouble, you need to come back." She ordered. She had known he had been raped, as after the episode with him going into flashback, she checked for such, and healed those physical wounds as well, but since the boy wouldn't talk about it, she could do nothing for the emotional wounds.

"Thank you Ma'am." Harry said, and smiled as he walked from the room. He made his way up to Gryffindor Tower, giving the password to the fat lady, he silently wished that no one else was awake yet.

He was met with pure silence. _Oh yeah, it's the holidays. _He reminded himself. He crawled into bed and swiftly fell asleep.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Christmas morning, Harry woke in his bed in his dorm. _I wonder if I have presents. _He thought. He took this time to look into his trunk and see if he had left any presents for his friends in there, to send them out as a last minute thing. Then he noticed a brilliantly wrapped gift, with a note on the top.

Taking the parcel out of his trunk, he sat down to read the familiar spidery scrawl.

_Potter,_

_Feel free to open this before Christmas. It has something in it which you may find useful. _

_If you haven't figured it out already, someone's been reading your journal. This someone decided that you should have this, to help._

"Ugh, they didn't even hint at who they were. Now who in the world was reading it?" He asked to himself. As he opened the gift, he noticed it was a book. A very nice book. With a page marked. Opening it, he turned to the page, and looked astonishingly at what was marked. "It's the spell I wanted!" He cried.

After he finished the spell, he made his way to the Great Hall, to have breakfast with the staff and the few students who remained. A smile on his face that he couldn't get off brought everyone's attention to him when he entered. "Happy Christmas!" He said, as he sat down to eat.

The breakfast over, Dumbledore stood up. "It was decided that today, if you wanted to, you may stay and open your gifts here in the Great Hall, or you may take them back to your rooms." He charmed the gifts to sort themselves.

Severus was about to get up to leave, but then, suddenly, a gift plopped into his lap. _A gift? _He wondered. _It must be hexed, or-_

"Sir?" A timid voice came from in front of him. He looked up to see Potter standing, his eyes down, and his hands behind his back.

"Yes, Potter?" He asked without his usual venom or malice.

"I was hoping I could talk to you outside... I have a problem, and I need your help." He said shyly. "My gifts are already back up in my rooms." He added.

"Alright." He said, as he stood up, taking his gift in his hands.

When they reached the snowy exterior of the school, Harry began. "Someone gave me something before Christmas, but I just opened it today... And I don't know who sent it. The writing seems familiar, but I can't place it, and I was wondering if you could do something to help me find out who sent it."

Snape thought for a second, not wanting to reveal to the boy that it was him, because then he knew Harry would know who was reading the journal. "I can try I suppose. I make no promises."

Harry's smile brightened. "Is that all?" The man asked.

"No... I also... I have something... For you..." He stumbled out, handing the man a package. "I got it yesterday... To say thanks. for.. You know... helping and stuff." He mumbled, and turned red. "Well, go on, open it." He said, smiling.

Snape sat down on the cold steps, and set his other gift beside him. Quietly, he opened the paper and found a very old book inside. Careful, as to not damage the binding he opened it, and noted the name, 'Salazar Slytherin' on the inner cover. He glanced over the contents, and gasped. "Do you know what this is, Harry?" He asked.

"Yes Sir... It's the only book Salazar Slytherin had in his library on his personal potions and works that wasn't written in parstletongue..." He said sheepishly.

"This is priceless Harry. It's never been seen before." He looked up to the boy, no young man, before him. "Are you sure you want to give it to me? You can sell it you know."

"Yes, I'm sure. I thought it would be wonderful for you."

"Wait... You said his library. You've found his library?" Snape asked astonished.

"Oh yeah, it's in the Chamber of Secrets." Harry replied. "I can take you down there if you'd like, to you know... See it."

Severus was speechless. He was just offered a look into the greatest Potions Master of history's Private Library, and it was here, in the school. He just nodded.

Harry smiled brightly, then said, "Well come on then!" And trotted off back inside, Snape in tow.


	7. Presents

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 7**

_Presents_

Harry almost jogged towards the second floor, and snape called out from behind him. "Slow down."

"Sorry Sir. I'm just happy. I've never taken anyone down there before, and it's going to be wonderful to see your face when you see the... Well, that would ruin the other present. You just have to come." Harry chirped.

"Other present?" Snape mumbled.

They made their way into the girl's bathroom, and Snape was thinking this must be some kind of joke. About to turn and walk out, Harry said something in parstletongue, and the sinks opened up.

Grabbing the man by the hand, Harry jumped in, and they tumbled down into the chamber. Snape found himself under the boy, clinging to him as if trying to save him from something. Harry was staring down, then blushed furiously as he scrambled to get up.

"I apologize." Snape said. "I didn't realize that it was this short of a distance, and didn't want you to get hurt." He raised himself and dusted off his cloak.

"It's alright." Harry meekly said, then returned to his jubilant self. "Come on then, close your eyes, I have a surprise!" He smiled.

Severus raised an eyebrow at the young man, and seeing that he wasn't going to comply, Harry groaned, then went behind him, and covered the dark wizard's eyes himself, leading him forward.

"This is entirely undignified." Snape protested as he was forced into walking fowards, but didn't try to remove the boy, no young man's, hands.

"Well be glad there's no one else here to see you." Harry giggled.

Finally, they stopped and Harry removed his hands. Snape gasped, and stared at the sight in front of him. "I thought it was just a rumor." he said.

"Yeah, well I guess it's hard to believe a 12 year old can kill a 60 foot basilisk." Harry retorted.

"Indeed." Severus said. He went close to the creature. "How is it not deteriorating?" He asked.

"Slytherin had a preservation charm set up." The young man said. "This is your other present." He smiled.

"Harry, this is worth a fortune. As you killed it, you are entitled to it." Severus protested.

"Yes, I know. And I am giving it, the entire thing, to you." He smiled. "Well, you have to promise something in return though."

Snape looked at him. "What would that be?"

"You have to promise to make one of the fangs into a dagger. I don't know how, but I've always thought about how fitting it would be if I were to stab Voldie with the fang of the very basilisk he sent after me." His eyes glittered.

Severus gave a very rare smile. "Of course. Do you really want to give the whole thing to me?" He asked again.

"Yes." Harry stated. "Nopw, before you get covered in the skin, blood, and all of the gross bits of this thing, I came to show you Slytherin's library." He quipped.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Hours later, still in the library, Severus turned to Harry and asked, "Can you read Parstletongue?" He asked.

"Yes." Harry answered. "It's taken a while, but I've managed to do it."

Severus smiled. "Do you think that you could translate these books?"

"Oh, you spoilsport!" Harry huffed. Severus wondered what was wrong, and harry spoke before he had a chance to voice his concern. "I was going to do just that, and give you the books' translations for your birthdays and Christmases." He sat back and crossed his arms.

"You... Really?" Snape asked, his eyes betraying his stoic features.

"Yes." Harry whispered.

"Thank you." Severus said, slightly shocked that Harry had thought ahead that much.

The younger wizards looked into the man's eyes, and smiled a bit. "If I don't do this now, I'll never have the courage to again." He whispered.

Just as Snape was about to ask what he meant, Harry's hand came up, and cupped the man's face. Standing on his toes, he gently planted his lips on the Potions Professor's, and kissed with all of his emotion.

Severus was stunned, but could do nothing to back away, nor did he want to. Instead, he wrapped a hand around Harry's waist, and pulled him closer, lowering his head just a bit to allow an easier experience.

When the man didn't immediately pull away, Harry was ecstatic. Wrapping the other arm around Snape's neck, he started to walk backwards, realizing that he was being pushed, but not away. He gasped when he felt a leg brush against his thigh, and Severus took that to his advantage, probing the young man's mouth with his tongue.

For some reason, Snape's legs had a mind of their own, and he walked them both towards the small couch in the room. His need for air finally got to him, and he broke away. "Harry..." He started. He was trying to tell the young man that they couldn't do anything, but his mouth wouldn't let him.

Harry looked up at the man, his eyes had nothing but comfort in them. "Professor, please. I know it was you." He said, burying his face into the man's robes. "When I asked you to help me find out who sent me the gift, I knew it was you, but I wanted to find out. When you said you made no promises, it only confirmed it, because I knew you would be able to find it out, and you didn't want me to know it was you... But I knew... The writing... When I found that I remembered it as someone I knew, I searched through my trunk for papers from other people, then I found a paper you had graded on potions, and it was the same." He looked up and smiled. "I'm just surprised you never chastised me for what I wrote..."

Snape stood there, in silence. The boy knew he was the one reading the journal, but he wasn't mad? Harry continued though, "I am a little embarrassed about some of the things I wrote about you though... Knowing you read them... But you didn't try to kill me for them, so I figured you may have..." Harry's eyes looked hopeful. "Some of the same feelings?"

Snape's throat was dry, and against all of his will, he choked out, "I only recently found out that I harbored them."

Harry smiled widely, then his face turned emotionless, and his eyes glazed. "Lucius, when we attack, do not kill the traitor. He has feelings for the brat, and I want him to suffer when he dies. WORMTAIL! Bring them to me... Yessss, cry all you want, CRUCIO!" Suddenly Harry's body writhed in agony.

After 2 minutes of constant, uninterrupted Crucio, Harry found himself shaking in Severus' arms, and in the halls of Hogwarts, coming up on the infirmary. "Oh Merlin! He could see! He saw through me! I forgot he sees when I am happy!" He cried.

Snape spoke, "Why does he see when you're happy?"

As they entered the infirmary, Poppy ran to them and Harry continued. "I don't know! When I am really really happy, he sees through my eyes, like when I see his when he's really really mad. He's going to attack the school!" He yelled.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry, Dumbledore, Severus, and the rest of the Order were sitting in silence.

"He's going to attack the school... I don't know when, or how, but it's going to be soon." Harry stated. "We need to get the children to safety, and start on the wards this instant!"

"I agree with Potter." Snape said. Astonished gasps filled the room. "We can't very well send the students home not knowing when it will happen, but-"

Harry's eyes glazed yet again, and he became emotionless. He said nothing, however. In that state for a few minutes, everyone was staring at him. Then, suddenly, he came out of it, and fell to the ground. "He's happy... He's attacking tonight... He's happy." He bit back tears. "He didn't say a DAMN WORD! Just had Lucius do the talking. They're attacking tonight, he's happy."

Severus stood and went by Harry's side, and started barking orders. "Move the children, 5th years and under into the dungeons. Alert the staff. 6th and 7th years will be spread out around the school, have them set up defensive spells and charms around everything they come into contact with to throw off anyone seeking magical energy."

Suddenly, both Harry and Severus hit the floor, screaming clutching their respective marks. Everyone sprang into action, going off to round up children, and alert people.

Then, as sudden as it started, it stopped. Albus looked down at them, "Are you alright?" He asked hesitantly.

"Oh yes, fine. The Dark Lord just activated my mark to punish me in the most physically painful way possible, I'm absolutely terrific." Snape said sarcastically.

Harry's voice was low and tired. "Professor Dumbledore, I need you to do something for me."

"Yes, anything." Albus replied.

"I need you to promise on your magic that what I am about to do, you will NOT interfere in any way." He said seriously

Dumbledore's eyes widened, but said, "Promise. You said anything."

The twinkle was gone from his eyes as Albus held the wand to himself. "I, Albus Dumbledore, promise on my magic, that I will not interfere with Harry Potter's plans for tonight."

"Thank you... Now, I need to gather some things." Harry said, then moved from the room.

"You sneaky old fool." Snape said. "You didn't use any of your middle names, you skirted around it!"

"I was hoping you wouldn't notice... At least he didn't." Albus replied. "What is he planning?"

"I'm not sure." Severus replied.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry had all of the ingredients he needed, he'd memorized the spell long ago, and he made his way to the dungeons.

Snape, having seen the young man walking in the hall, had followed him. Soon, they got to the painting of a snake that was in front of Snape's private potion's lab. Harry said something in parstletongue, the snake hissed back, and harry hissed again, then the snake looked directly at Snape, and Harry entered entered. Snape wondered how he did that. He followed after.

"How did you get in here?" Severus asked, as he watched Harry prepare a cauldron.

"I told the snake that we were coming in here to make a defensive potion. It didn't believe me, so I told it to look behind me and in the shadows to see you, it did, and it let me in." He replied.

"How did you know I was behind you?"

"I..." Harry stopped for a moment, then turned and looked at him. "I have no idea." He said with a very confused face. "I just... sensed you..." He said, then returned to the potion he was making. "I've sensed strange things all year since I turned 16. Tasted food better, smelled more things. The most recent thing to come to me was vision. My glasses are becoming a burden."

Snape watched as the young man talked, moving easily, cutting, chopping, preparing wonderfully. "I disagree." He said.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"It seems to me, that the most recent thing to come to you was your ability in potions doing a complete 180." Severus replied.

Again, Harry stopped. "Merlin! I'm making the potion just how the directions specified! I think you're right." harry stated, then went back to making. "I can't stop now though, I have to finish it, it shouldn't be long. Only a few more minutes. Do you know what's wrong with me Professor?"

Snape looked intently at him, then spoke, "I think you've been coming into your inheritance. When a witch or wizard turned 16, things change for them, and by the time they're 17, they come into a magical inheritance, and any creature inheritance they may have as well."

The minutes passed by in silence as both men were thinking about what it meant, then Harry stopped, and bottled the potion. He looked at Severus, then talked to him, and kissed the man chastely. "Thank you for everything you've done." he said, then, before the other man could stop him, he stepped back, and downed the vial.

"What was that?" Snape demanded.

"Something that will make me siphon the magic of anyone I touch." He answered. "I found it in Sal's books."

Snapes eyes grew and Harry walked from the room, out of the hall, out of the doors, and into the field where flying classes were held. He waited.

Severus almost flew to Dumbledore's office, and informed the man of what happened. Albus' eyes grew wide, and he called for the strongest teachers and order members to go wait with Harry.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

The Elite, they dubbed themselves, the strongest teachers, students, and Order members sat outside. Harry was in the front, with Moody behind him. Severus was in between Shacklebolt and Minerva. Pince, Hooch, and Firenze were spread out among them. Lupin was beside Harry. Hannah Abbot, Katie Bell, Susan Bones, Seamus Finnigen, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Fred, George, and Ron Weasley were all there as well.

No one spoke a word. They had all been briefed on what was to happen, and they all sat, silently waiting for what was to come. A few of the students were meditating, Severus was praying to whatever diety may or may not exist that Harry made it out of this alive, and Harry was also praying that Severus made it out alive.

Firenze bent his torso down to Harry. "The centaurs have agreed to stand guard around the area and attack from behind." He whispered.

"Thank you." Harry replied.

Severus made his way to Harry, being sure not to touch him as the potion he drank earlier would siphon the man's magic. "Here." He said simply.

Harry looked at him, then to his extended hand, he saw a beautiful white dagger. "I can't believe you made this in time." Harry whispered.

"I spelled it, so it only has one good stab in it, before it turns back into a fang. The good part about that is, once it's back in fang form, the poison in it will be released." He smirked.

"I want to hug you right now, but I can't... You'll lose your magic. Thank you Professor."

"Severus..." The man said.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Please, call me Severus."

The crowd around them looked shocked, and Harry smiled. "Thank you Severus."

"You're welcome Harry."

The sky rumbled, and grew black. A flash of green lightening lit up the area, and flying into view was Lord Voldemort, and several hundred Death Eaters.

Voldemort called out, his voice loud and angry. "HAPPY CHRISTMAS" Then cackled, sending in the first spell.


	8. Battle

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 8**

_Battle_

A streak of red light flew by Harry at an alarming speed, striking Susan Bones, leaving her a bloody lump. That signaled the Death Eaters into different formations as they prepared themselves and made their way from the skies to the ground. Harry had pocketed the dagger that Severus had given him earlier, and was swiftly making his way to Voldemort, reaching out and grasping the arms of any Death Eaters who were stupid enough to get in his way, effectively siphoning their magic.

Each of the Elite were taking on several of the masked and robed men, trying to keep them from entering the school. Fighting, screaming, hexes, curses, and weapons were seen and heard all around, and it seemed as though the battle had began out of nowhere.

Severus was met with his old rival and torturer. As their wands fired off hexes at the other, the men themselves also bit off hateful retorts. Lucius would comment on the dark man's traitorous ways, and Snape would retort with biting remarks about the aristocrat's cowardice and lack of parenting ability to keep his son alive.

Luna and Neville (How he had managed to sneak out there was anybody's guess.) were back to back, taking on several of the skull-faced men, defending one another from the onslaught of curses being whirled their way. They had clasped hands, and as a final effort, made a move that they'd been planning for months in advance, combining both of their magic and shouting at the same time, "Amor Vincit". A bright yellow, red, blue, and silver swirling orb surrounded them and the Death Eaters in which they were battling. As quickly as it had appeared, it disappeared, and the robed men lie dead on the ground, with an unconscious Lovegood and Longbottom.

Seamus Finnigen was dueling one-on-one with the last Death Eater he had been 'assigned', and was severely weakened from using almost all of his magic source. Dean Thomas was a mere 10 feet away from him, and in a last ditch effort, Seamus decided to use a tactic that would kill the death eater, but annihilate himself as well. He shouted, "I LOVE YOU DEAN!" then uttered the double killing spell. Dean's anguish-filled cries were unheard from the sounds of the various battles raging on around them, and in his anger, he let loose a wildly powerful, 'Sectumsempra', which Harry had taught him only months before, that caused 12 of the nearby Death Eaters to bleed out within seconds.

Once all of the Death Eaters where on the ground, the Centaurs charged from their hiding spaces, bows pulled back, arrows flying, and trampling over anything with a skull on it's face. The cracks of boned being crushed and the sounds of screams from the ones impaled by the arrows were heard by very few.

"Old friend... Would you allow your first lover to perish like this?" Lucius pleaded, laying on his back, barely propped by his elbows as Severus' wand was firmly pointed at the blonde's heart.

"You're right." Severus said. He looked as if he may help the other man, but instead his eyes turned murderous, and Lucius cowered. Snape transfigured his wand into a sword, "It would be much more fitting to kill the man who raped me all those years ago with the weapon of his CHOICE!" He bellowed as he shoved the sharp metal into the Death Eater's chest. Twisting the handle, he pulled it out, then sliced the head from the arrogant prick that lay beneath him. Catching his breath, assured that the offending man was dead before him, Severus sought out the man that had come to feel intently for.

Harry and Voldemort were held off with one another, both with lines of magic streaming from their equally powerful wands.

"You are growing weak Potter!" Voldemort screeched.

Harry's only retort was to grab a nearby Death Eater with his free hand, and siphon the magic from him forcefully, thus putting more power into himself. He then began to recite the spell he had learned previously. "Una Magica vincere aliud. Cedo auferatur anima." Suddenly, a dome encased Harry, Voldemort, and Severus, the former two unknowing of the presence of the third. As Harry held on to his magic, he was pushing the snake man to the ground. Reaching in his pocket, he withdrew the beautifully plain dagger, and as he grew closer, his magic started to fail. Thrusting the dagger into the mad man's chest, he watched as it morphed back into the fang it was spelled from, and delighted when the other man's face shown in realization. "Your pet, RIDDLE, comes back to _bite_ you." Harry spat.

As his magic was waning, and Voldemort's was growing a bit from his rage, Harry realized that the man still had one last good curse in him, then, from nowhere, a hand snaked up Harry's waist, and held on tightly, giving Harry more magic to stabilize the hold he had over Voldemort. The young man looked to his waist to see the long and elegant fingers of the man who'd aided, and whispered, "No...". He tried feverishly to remove the grip, not wanting to siphon the magic core of the man he'd grown to love. "No, no no no no! Let go!" Harry screamed, but the grip held on tighter in defiance.

With a final great blast from himself, Voldemort was reduced to nothing but ashes, and the remaining loyal Death Eaters were struck dead at their Master's own demise. The grip on Harry's waist faltered, and the dark wizard fell to the ground. Harry reached into his robes and fumbled around for the antidote potion, finally finding it, he ripped the top off and downed it quickly. Falling on his knees beside the normally stone-faced Potions Professor, Harry's eyes betrayed him as he wept. All was eerily silent, and those remaining looked on at the sight unveiling before them.

"You can't die... You can't... I was supposed to die, not you. Why did you give me your magic you stupid man!" Harry wailed. He beat a fist into Severus' still body, earning a groan from the older wizard. Suddenly the young man's eyes filled with hope, a hope that had not been there in so very long. Reaching out, he grabbed the man's hand, and kissed it profusely. "Please, please make it. Don't leave me. You can't die too. I can't let you die!" Harry shouted. He released the hand, then put his own over the heart of the man beneath him, focusing all of his power and intent on healing the stubborn git.

A magnificent white light surrounded the two, nearly blinding those who were staring. After a few moments, when it finally faded, they rushed to the two unconscious men.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry woke some time later to shouting and screaming.

"DON'T TELL ME TO LEAVE I HAVE NO INTENTION OF ABANDONING THE ONE PERSON WHO HAS BROUGHT JOY TO MY LIFE!" An angry male voice bellowed.

"YOU have done nothing but sit here for 5 days straight, no FOOD, no WATER, only leaving to relieve yourself in the bathroom and come back! You have had NOTHING since you've woken from your coma, and you WILL get something in your system!" An equally angry female voice shrieked back.

"Please... stop fighting." Harry said weakly, though no one had heard. He decided to try and get up to gather their attention.

"I WILL EAT WHEN HE WAKES UP YOU DAMNABLE WOMAN!" The first voice sounded off. "I am NOT leaving his side!"

"I don't care if you eat in here, the Great Hall, or the bloody GREAT WALL OF CHINA! If you don't get nourishment soon, you will not be alive to GREET HIM!" The voice Harry finally recognized as Poppy retorted.

Suddenly, both figured whirled as they'd caught movement from the corners of their eyes. Harry stood in the doorway, his hand and shoulder against the side, his knees close together, as if trying to buckle. "Please..." he begged. "Stop fighting." Knees finally giving way, he started to fall, but the man was too fast for him, and caught the younger male in his arms.

"I'm so sorry Harry." Severus said.

The young wizard rolled his head to look at the dark man. "I love you Severus Snape."

His mask broke, and finally he allowed himself to say the words that he'd never said to anyone but his mother. "I love you too Harry Potter." Silence was all that came from Poppy, Albus, and Hermione.

Harry reached his arm up to cup Snape's face, but failed when he succumbed to the darkness yet again.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry woke up again some time later, in the middle of the night in face. He groaned, and was suddenly met by two very worried crying witches, and one very worriedly hopeful wizard.

"How long was I out?" Harry asked, not really knowing if he wanted an answer or not.

"12 days." Poppy answered. "After you healed Severus, you went into a comatose state, and stayed as such for 6 days, as did he. Then, he woke up, and refused to leave your side, even to eat." She sent a glare towards him. "You finally woke up on the 11th day, but passed out again in his arms, and now, you're awake again."

Harry remembered the events of the battle, and the previous day, then looked to Severus. "You stupid git!" He yelled, pushing himself up on his elbows.

Severus could barely hide the hurt at those words, but Harry went on. "I told you that the potion would siphon the magic from anyone I touched, and then you go and WRAP YOUR ARM AROUND ME! You could have DIED!" He screamed, tears going down his face. "I was supposed to be the one who died, not YOU! Don't you get it? I had to sacrifice myself to kill that snake man, and you went and acted like a BLOODY GRYFFINDOR!" He beat his tightly clamped fists into the older man's chest. "If I had lived and you had died... I don't... I don't... I couldn't... I WOULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU YOU DAMN BASTARD!"

Severus enveloped the younger man in a tight embrace, pulling him from the bed, and into his lap. "I would have done the same had you died." He said lowly, forgetting momentarily about the company in the room. "I couldn't live with myself if I had known you'd died and I did nothing." A tear fell from the man's eye, landing on Harry's nose as the boy looked up at him. "I love you too much you foolish Gryffindor."

Harry reached a hand and cupped the cheek of the man in front of him, pulling his face down, he pressed his lips against the other, thinner ones. Wrapping his arms around the man, and shifting his position to straddle him, he deepened the kiss, his tongue begging entry. As he mapped out the older man's mouth, the need for air became great, and so he pulled away reluctantly. "I love you too you sneaky Slytherin."

A loud thud was heard, which brought the two men back to reality, and back to the realization that they had an audience. Harry blushed profusely, Severus glared, Poppy stared wide-eyed, and Albus chuckled, while Hermione's body lay sprawled across the floor.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

It was a week after their little scene in the infirmary, and the two were snuggled together on a couch in Salizar's private library. Snape was wondering how Harry had managed to wiggle his way into the man's heart so quickly and easily. He supposed it could have been the journal entries that lead to his realization, but couldn't for the life of himself figure out when he first started having feelings for the brat. A voice called him out of his inner ramblings.

"Severus, are you listening to me?" Harry demanded.

"No." Came the reply. "I was thinking. What is it?"

Harry huffed in mock-annoyance. "I SAID, that I think it's time we made our relationship public."

"Oh?" asked the man. "How did you plan on doing that?"

"I have a plan." He smiled mischievously, and informed him of the brilliant stunner that was sure to make the front page of the Prophet.

"And what brought this on?" Severus asked, a bit wary of the young man's reasoning.

"I have been getting accosted by women, and some men, day in and day out asking me out, and I am tired of people just wanting me for my fame. I figured that this way, we could let the world know I'm taken, and people would stop hounding me." He smiled. "Plus, it's always good to give a good mind-fuck to some enemies."

Severus outright laughed at this, and nodded his head. "I think that would be acceptable Mr. Potter. I have another idea however, that may coincide with this." He then informed the young wizard of his plans that would go hand in hand, and they agreed to merge the two.

They went sometime later to Dumbledore to discuss what they wanted to do, and the old man's eyes twinkled madly as he smiled and approved. "Just please, try not to use that one word, remember we have 11 year olds here. Maybe the other form of the word would be better suited?" He prompted.

Both of the other men nodded and agreed.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Severus and Harry stormed into the Great Hall that night arguing feverishly.

"I hate you!" Harry said audibly.

"I hate you too!" Severus replied, just as loudly.

"You never listen to a word I say!" Screamed Harry, as the hall suddenly fell deathly silent. Albus sat in his chair, smiling and twinkling.

"You never give me reason to listen!" Snape yelled back, pointing his finger into the boy's chest.

"You greasy git, you've had it out for me from day ONE! Why should I give you ANY REASON?" The young man retorted.

"Because I am your senior, and I deserve that respect, you insolent brat!" Severus fumed, unable to hide the mirth in his eyes from his companion. The people in the Great Hall were frightened to say the least.

"Maybe I don't respect you because I don't think you're better than me! Maybe I think of you as an EQUAL!"

"Maybe I don't listen because I already know what you're going to say! Maybe I think of you as an equal AS WELL!"

"You know how I feel about you. Don't play with me SEVERUS!" Several gasps were heard around the hall.

"Don't act like you hate it this much HARRY!" Snape moved in, closing the space between the two, gripping the younger wizard's arm. More gasps, and a thud to the floor as a 1st year Ravenclaw fainted. Dumbledore had to suppress a chuckle.

"SCREW YOU SNAPE!" Harry screamed!

"TIME AND PLACE POTTER!" Severus responded.

"YOUR ROOMS, TEN MINUTES!" Harry fumed.

"FINE!" Snape retorted, then leaned in to kiss the young man with an unbridled amount of passion, pushing him into a wall.

"I love you!" Harry hoarsely said, still rather loudly as he slumped against a wall.

"I love you too." Snape replied, before billowing off.

An eruption of noise, thuds from fainting students and teachers, accusations, laughter, and even the odd scream filled the hall as Harry crept off.

Finding his way into the dungeons after Snape, he was caught with a sight that would live with him as long as he lived. Severus was bent over, leaning against a wall, laughing heartily. Harry came up to him giggling as well. "Did you see their faces? OH MY GOD! That was HILARIOUS!" He squealed.

"And that one poor Ravenclaw didn't even get to hear the good part!" Snape added before trying to regain his posture. A smile still on his face, he spoke to the portrait guarding his room, "Significance." and lead Harry inside.


	9. Revenge

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 9**

_Revenge_

Harry looked up at the man who had captivated his mind. His eyes pleaded, and his bottom lip quivered. "Please? I wont be able to unless you do, and I really want to tell you."

Severus shook his head. "This is not something that I am willing to attempt to force out of you. You will tell me when you're ready, and I will not slip you truth serum to coax it out of you." His stern gaze met the young man's before him. "I will not betray your trust like that."

A smile crept up on Harry's face. "I know you wouldn't." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and resting his hands in his lap, he began. "I'm not too sure how to start this, I mean, I know I am going to start from the beginning and all, but it's very... I'm not sure what word I am looking for, it's just very _oomph._"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "I can't say I have ever heard anyone describe something as, 'oomph', before." The young man before him stifled a chuckle. "Please continue, no more interruptions from me." The dark wizard assured.

Harry drew in a breath sharply, then slumped his shoulders a bit. "Well, my earliest memory is hearing my mother scream, and a green light surrounding me." He said. At the older man's confused glance, he added, "It was the memory that the first dementor I came into contact with pulled from me, and since then I have seen it over and over in my nightmares."

Severus nodded, understanding how awful it must be to relive such a thing that the young man shouldn't even be able to remember. Harry continued. "After that, my next memory is when I was four. I was in the kitchen, watching Aunt Petunia cook. She was humming away, preparing breakfast I think, and Vernon was sitting at the table, watching me." He suppressed a shiver and took in a shaky breath. "When Aunt Petunia finished, she showed me how the food looked, and told me I would start cooking soon, and then Vernon yelled at me for what I think was the first time, he yelled, 'And you aren't to steal any of out life source from the pan either, boy!'."

As Harry went on, informing Severus of the trials and tribulations that went on in the Dursley household, the older man found it increasingly difficult to not storm off to Privet Drive and kill the menaces himself.

"And then, when I was 10, I realized that Aunt Petunia was really trying to help me." Harry said, the light catching from the tears that had just fallen down his cheeks. "Vernon was at work, and she was letting me out of my cupboard to do chores. She had a bruised neck. I asked her what happened, and she told me it wasn't important, but that night, she didn't slip me anything to eat at the usual time, and then I heard Vernon. He told her that she was never to give me food again unless she wanted more where _that_ came from." He lowered his head in shame. "It was then that I figured out that she was sneaking around him to keep food in my system, and it was my fault she was hurt."

Severus broke his vow of temporary silence, "Harry, it was not your fault. It was that beastly man's fault, for both your and your aunt's pain." The man's hands were shaking a bit, as his anger and fury had to be channeled so he wouldn't scare the boy in front of him. Oh, he was still a young man physically, but at the moment, reliving the terrors of his life, he was a boy, scared of being alone. Snape rested a hand on Harry's shoulder, which the lighter wizard recoiled from slightly. "None of this is your fault." Severus whispered.

Harry shook his head, "I don't think I can continue." he said hoarsely.

"You don't have to Harry." Severus stated.

The two of them sat in silence, neither awkward nor companionable, and finally, Snape told Harry to go and wash up. When the young man was in the shower, Severus wrote out a note, visited the Headmaster, and then went with one very stern looking McGonagall, and a very angry Dumbledore to Surrey.

Harry toweled himself dry, reveling in the feeling of something so entirely soft wrapping around his body. Most of his cuts had healed, and the ones that were still open were so small now you would barely notice them. The bruises that once littered his body were gone, and he was beginning to pick up some weight. He smiled at himself in the mirror, glad for the turnaround.

He walked from his bedroom, dressed and ready for whatever was bound to happen, then groaned when he realized that Snape had left. _Great._ He thought. _Now he can't stand to be around me._ He flopped on the love-seat, and under his bottom, the crumple of parchment reached Harry's ears. Sliding over, he picked up the paper and read:

_Harry,_

_I have an appointment with the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress. I shouldn't be gone for more than a few hours. If I am not back by lights out, feel free to sleep in my quarters. I wish to continue our conversation tomorrow, or when you feel best._

_~S. Snape_

Harry made his way to the kitchenette, and decided to fix a nice supper for when Severus came back. Chopping this, dicing that, humming while stirring, he thought, _This is so similar to potions... I wonder why I never did well in that field when I have always been a good cook._ He decided not to worry about it and continued cooking.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

The two wizards and one witch had come up with a plan. After they had apparated to Surrey, they transfigured their clothing into muggle business attire, put up a few glamours so they wouldn't look as much like themselves, and made their way towards number 4. Albus knocked on the door, and the three plastered on their best smiles, which for Severus was more of a blank grimace.

Vernon opened the door, "What do you want?" He asked, a bit angry.

"We are here on behalf of Gringo's, a new drill manufacturer." Albus stated calmly.

"We have been in contact with Grunnings, and they told us of your superb work ethic." McGonagall smiled.

"We are here to propose a job." Snape stated, barely ably to keep his stoney mask.

Vernon happily led them inside, offering tea and biscuits. They made idle chit-chat about Vernon's abilities as a director, and manager, then Snape's attention was drawn to Petunia, who smiled at him from the couch in the living room.

"Might I ask, what are those things around your wife's arm and leg?" Severus inquired.

"Oh the casts? She had a terrible accident." He said shortly.

_Casts... I will have to research this._ Snape thought. "Yes well, I was wondering if you had any additional family. You see, we need to know who to take into consideration when we calculate your pay."

Vernon thought that finally that useless boy would be good for something. "Well, there's me, my lovely wife, my adoring son, and my... nephew... They all live here. Dudley, my son that is, is out with his friends right now."

Albus interjected, "And where is your nephew?" He asked. "I apologize, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just we have to be sure, and seeing not a picture of him around, well..."

"Oh he's off at St. Brutus' Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys. You see, he's not well, in the head." Vernon informed them.

Severus seethed inwardly. "What has he done to be placed there?"

The beefy man's eyes narrowed. Wondering why these people were suddenly so interested in that whelp. "That's nothing of importance. We were discussing pay?"

The three men carried on, and McGonagall snuck off to Petunia's side. "Petunia dear, I want to tell you that Harry's ok." The horse-faced woman's eyes widened. "We're his teachers at Hogwarts, and Harry's told Severus, the one with the black hair over there, that you were the only one who tried to keep him fed."

Petunia's eyes welled a bit, she nodded and whispered, "I never wanted him hurt... I was just so afraid of what Vernon would do..."

Minerva nodded. "Come with me, I will get you out of here so you don't see what is to happen." Something akin to hope flashed in the other woman's eyes, before fear took it's place.

"What about Dudley?" She asked worriedly.

"Dudley has already been picked up from his friends and is hiding out in Arabella Figg's house. We don't want to hurt him, he's only been doing what his father urged him to, and after some extensive searching by Severus, we found he truly is sorry for the things he's done to Harry." Minerva whispered.

Petunia nodded, and both women got up to go out. Vernon saw them moving for the front door and called out, "Where are you going?"

"Oh, your lovely wife has agreed to show me the garden that she tends. She said it's absolutely beautiful! I do love flowers." McGonagall smiled.

Vernon studied the two women, then with a wave of his hand, dismissed them. Minerva quickly took Mrs. Dursley to Figg's house, telling her to stay. She made her way back to number 4, and walked in. "It's all settled then." She announced.

A look of confusion crossed Vernon's face, and suddenly there were three very angry people with wands pointed at his chest. "YOU FREAKS! I KNEW you looked familiar! Snap, wasn't it?" He spat in Severus' direction.

Albus started to say something, but was cut off by Snape, and astonished, he just stared at the dark wizard. "My name is SNAPE you insufferable excuse for a human life, and you'd do best to remember that you pathetic excuse for a man." He snapped, inching forward, pushing the other man back into his chair. "What you have done to that boy is inexcusable, intolerable, and sick! You are the freak here!" He flicked his wand and a bind came over the man in the chair.

Forgetting that the others were there, blinded by his own rage and fury, he reached out and grasped the obese man's collar. "Hitting, beating, cutting, burning, all to an innocent CHILD! Have you any idea what you've put him through? Have you no _conscience_?" He bellowed, striking the man before him with his left hand. "You deserve no less than death for those actions alone, but no, that would be too good for you. You're among the sickest of the sick, you're nothing but a pervert. You've touched your nephew in ways that no one should EVER touch a CHILD! You've forced yourself on him, made him touch you, and worst of all, you've penetrated him and took the last remaining sliver of innocence that the child had left in him. All for what? All for being homosexual? YOU CAN NOT BEAT FEELINGS OF ATTRACTION FROM SOMEONE!"

This was a shock, as he hadn't informed either of the others he'd brought with him of this information. What was even more shocking was what the fat man said in response. "He enjoyed every minute of it!" Vernon snarled.

At that very moment, Albus screamed out, "Locomotor Mortis!", Minerva shrieked, "Oppugno!", and Severus bellowed, "Sectumsempra!". The sight that followed was almost enough to cause a smirk to form on the Dark Wizard's face... Almost...

Vernon Dursley was bleeding severely from several cuts that appeared on his chest and stomach, unable to move his legs, he opted for trying to hop away from his attackers, but failed as the objects in the room had begun to attack him feverishly. As the man fell, the three worked together on their initial plan.

Severus cast the Cruciatus Curse and held it for almost 3 minutes, causing Dursley's mind to snap a bit, nudging his sanity to break. Albus cast the Conjunctivitus Curse, causing Vernon to scream in agony as his eyes felt as if they were burning. Minerva cast the Memory Charm, then planted the new memory. "You believe that you were attacked by animals, but that the animals were talking to you. You feel you must get to the hospital immediately in case you have contracted any disease. You feel the urge to tell any doctors exactly what you believe."

Severus sighed. A mad man bound into a locked cell would surely be a wonderful punishment, if only he didn't know of the existence of the magical world. Then, an idea struck him. As the other two were heading out, he whispered, "Langlock", effectively gluing the obese man's tongue to the roof of his mouth. He smirked, and made his way back out.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

By the time the staff returned to Hogwarts, it was almost 10:00 pm. The three of them, and their two guests, made their way to Severus' quarters. The dark wizard mumbled, "It's bad enough I have one student in my chambers, now I have half a dozen invading my space."

As they walked in, Harry stirred from his resting place on the loveseat. Immediately, the only person he noticed was Snape. He hopped up and ran to the man, hugging his waist. "I'm glad you're back. I was so afraid you'd got disgusted with me for letting that muggle do all those things to me." He said through choked attempts to keep himself from crying.

Severus put a hand on the young man's back, and lifted his face with the other. "I would never be disgusted with you." He whispered, then kissed the boy on his forehead.

"Awww" was the sound that came from Petunia. Harry looked up and saw her smiling face, which bewildered him, then saw Dudley looking apologetic and scared behind her, accompanied by the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress.

"What?" He forced from his mouth. Looking up at Severus in confusion, he asked, "Am I dreaming?"

The dark wizard shook his head, the young man looked back at his family, then he lost his footing, falling forward into the man he cared so deeply for, allowing the darkness to envelop him.

"I'm surprised he didn't do that sooner." Severus stated, clearly unaffected by the boy's actions.


	10. Learning

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 10**

_Learning_

Someone was singing. A... a lullaby? Harry stirred a bit, trying to listen to the soft voice that was making such beautiful sounds. A hand came over his head, pushing the hair back from his face. He reached up and grasped the hand. Slender, soft to the touch, smooth nails. These were woman's hands, and the last time he had checked, Severus was no woman.

Harry shot up from wherever he was sleeping, the previous night came flooding back to him. Squinting his eyes, he stared at the intruding woman. "Aunt Petunia?" He asked.

"Yes." She said solemnly. She wrapped Harry in a tight hug, weeping openly on the young man's head, effectively wetting his hair. "I'm so sorry I was never there for you." She whispered between sobs. "Nothing can make up for my neglect."

Harry wanted desperately to comfort her. "It wasn't your fault." He replied.

"It was." She whispered. "I should have taken you and Dudders away the very first time he threatened to hit me, but I was so afraid. At the time I never thought he would lay a hand on you, and I would be the only one he touched."

Harry returned the hug, and tried to console the woman. "It wasn't your fault Aunt Petunia... I deserved it."

"No!" She loudly stated. "You didn't deserve any of it! You were a child. It was my own stupidity that kept you there, in harm's way for so long."

Changing the subject, not wishing to make the woman feel any more guilty than she already did, Harry asked, "Where's Dudley?"

"He's in the living room, talking with that Dumbledore fellow, and that man who kissed you last night." She smiled. "I'm glad you've found someone." Her voice was barely audible.

"I am too." Harry stated.

"Although I am a bit put off by the age difference, but it was explained to me that in your world, the only time age difference is looked down upon is when there's 50+ years of it." She chuckled. "I just can't imagine being with someone who was 50 years older than me though."

"You mean you're... You're not mad that I'm.. I mean... I'm gay?" Harry stuttered out.

"Well, it was a shock at first... I won't lie and say I'm totally fine with it, but I wont stand in your way either. You deserve to be happy, and if being with another man makes you happy, then so be it."

Harry couldn't help himself, and he cried into his Aunt's robes. _Robes? Why is she wearing robes? _He pulled his face back, then studied his aunt's attire a bit more carefully. "Why are you wearing robes?" He asked.

"Well," she started, smiling a bit, "It seems that Dumbledore fellow has taken a liking to Dudders and I, and offered us sanctuary here, as your family. And because you're a Wizard, and we are your family, we are required to dress as you do to throw off suspicion from your classmates."

Harry smiled. _Family._ They talked a small while more, then finally made their way to the living room. All present was Albus, Minerva, Severus, Dudley, Hermione, and Madam Pomfrey.

"Ah, good to see you're up my boy." Albus stated, smiling at the two. "Why don't you two come sit down over here."

As Harry started to take a seat next to Hermione, the bushy-haired girl smacked him away. "This seat is for your aunt. You are to go sit next to Professor Snape, where you belong." She smiled.

Harry blushed, then quickly took his seat next to Severus, who wrapped his arm around the young man's waist. As Petunia sat, it suddenly struck her what the young woman had said. "Professor? You mean you're a teacher?" She asked.

"I am a Potion's Master and Potions Professor here at Hogwarts Ma'am." Severus stated coolly.

"Well, I do hope your relationship is not the forming of some attempt for Harry to get good grades." She stated.

Most everyone except for Harry and Hermione looked affronted at the very notion, the former two just laughed. Seeing the looks on everyone's faces, Hermione explained, "It's a muggle thing. See, in our world," She gestured to herself and Petunia, "When a teacher has a relationship with a student, it's normally because the student does poorly in their class, and they exchange sex for good grades."

"We haven't done anything more than KISS!" Harry stated, blushing a bit.

"Well, you did do rather poorly in Potions for the last 5 1/2 years Mr. Potter." Severus chided almost... playfully. Then he turned to Petunia. "I can assure you, there is nothing of that nature happening in our relationship."

Harry smirked, a smirk very similar to one the Potions Master had given him in the past. "Yeah, and you still call me, 'Mr. Potter' in class, still yell at me for things your snakes throw into my cauldron, and still deduct points for said mishaps. It's almost as if nothing's changed, except the frequency of it is dying down."

"My snakes have been throwing things into your cauldron? Since when?" Severus asked, genuinely interested.

"Since 1st year." Harry replied as though it was no bother to him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Snape demanded.

"Would you really have believed me? Harry Bloody Potter, the Golden Gryffindor, Boy-Who-Lived coming to you and complaining that _your_ house was botching my potions?" Harry demanded right back.

A few moments of silence passed. "No, I wouldn't have." The dark wizard stated.

"What do you mean, boy who lived?" Dudley asked.

"You never told them?" Minerva inquired, a bit shocked. Harry just shook his head.

Hermione took her cue, and began filling the muggles in. "Harry was born to James and Lily Potter, as you well know. Now, before Harry was born, there was this whole prophecy about an evil wizard who would be killed, or kill, the child, and that child happened to be Harry. So, a year after he'd been born, that evil wizard, Voldemort, was led to the Potter's house by their secret keeper. A secret keeper is a witch or wizard who is the only one that knows the whereabouts of a person or family. Their keeper was a wizard named Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail. When Wormtail told Voldemort where the Potter's lived, Voldie decided to go and kill the 1 year old Harry Potter, but Lily sacrificed herself for her baby, and that's why he lived through the killing curse. See, no one has ever lived through the killing curse. No one. Ever. Except for Harry Potter. That's why he's named the Boy-Who-Lived, and that's why he famous here."

"Famous? You mean he's a celebrity?" Dudley asked in awe.

"Yes." Both Harry and Severus seethed at the same time.

"I hate it, I hate being the bloody Boy-Who-Lived. Now, since I killed Voldie and his Death Eaters, they've adorned me with an even longer name, 'Boy-Who-Lived-To-Kill-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'. Ugh, I HATE IT!" Harry pouted.

"What's a death eater?" Petunia asked.

Severus took this one up. "A Death Eater is a witch or wizard who followed the Dark Lord. They did his bidding, killed others, both magical and muggle, tortured, raped, and were at the beck and call of the Dark Lord himself. The loyal Death Eaters all died when the Dark Lord died, but those of us who weren't loyal survived."

"YOU were a Death Eater?" Dudley proclaimed.

Harry automatically took up defense. "Yes he was, and it was the biggest mistake of his life, which he truly regrets. He went into spying for the light side shortly after his initiation, and you'd better not make him or I angry by sending accusations of ANYTHING his way. He did what he HAD to do to not only keep me safe, but the entire wizarding world as well." Harry calmed himself, and wondered why he got so angry.

"I'm sorry..." Dudley said. "I didn't mean to be so shocked by it. And Harry... I'm sorry for all of the things I've done to you, and I'm most sorry for punching you when you came back after dad beat up mom." He lowered his head. "It wasn't your fault."

Albus, who had been sitting and watching the entire ordeal, began to smile, his eyes twinkling. Then Poppy voiced her opinion. "That reminds me, Harry, please drop your glamours." She ordered.

Harry was shocked. "How did you know?" He asked.

"I told her about that bit I'd read in your journal." Severus replied. "I needed to get your proper medical attention."

After much protesting, and finally giving in, from Harry, he shed his clothing in front of the small group that had gathered, until he remained in only his boxers, then closed his eyes, and dropped the glamours. Gasps were heard around the room.

"I never knew it was that bad." Petunia cried.

"They're not all from him Aunt Petunia." Harry whispered, his eyes still closed. "At least a third of them are from Voldemort over the years."

Poppy took medical scans, made him down some potions, worked some healing spells over some of the barely open wounds, and rubbed a salve into his skin, causing many of the scars to fade into nothingness as if they'd never been there. Harry slunk back into his clothing, then curled up beside Severus, effectively burying his face into the man's robes as much as he could.

As the rest of the group talked, his family found out more about Harry, and all of the things he'd never told them. They learned of his time there at Hogwarts, his adventures every year, the annual attack from Voldemort, and how the wizarding world viewed him.

Finally Harry spoke. "I'm hungry." Was all he said, still buried in the man's robes.

Severus called for Dobby. When the house elf popped into the room, Petunia shrieked and dudley stared at him. The sound of the shriek made Dobby recoil.

Harry looked at him. "I'm sorry Dobby, she's never seen a house elf before."

"That's ok Harry potter Sir, Dobby's ears just hurt at her loud scream. What can Dobby do for Master Harry Potter Sir?"

"Well, I'm really hungry. Could we have a breakfast for... 8?" Harry asked.

"Oh I am just leaving." Poppy said. "I need to get back to the infirmary."

"And I have many papers to sign that come with being Headmaster." Albus stated.

"I also have to get going, I have a class to teach." Minerva stated.

"And I have a class to attend." Hermione said.

"Make that 4 then Dobby." Harry smiled, knowing they were just giving them some alone time.

The house elf popped away, and Petunia asked, "What on earth was that?"

"That was a house elf. They are elven creatures that for some reason or the other, have decided they want to serve Witches and Wizards. They are kind of like slaves. They do the cooking, cleaning, and other menial chores. That one in particular was Dobby, an ex-house elf of the Malfoy's. He was abused terribly there, and I freed him in my second year. He was also the one who dumped the cake on your visitor that summer."

"I thought you were lying when you said it wasn't you." Petunia smiled. "I should have known better."

Dobby popped back in with breakfast, and they all ate, chatting about small things that crept up.

"Hey, Harry?" Dudley asked. "Can I hold your wand?"

Harry looked to Severus and the older wizard stated, "It shouldn't hurt. After all, he's a muggle, he can't perform magic with it."

Harry leaned over and let his cousin hold the wand. Dudley looked at it, marveling at it's light weight and then, swished his hand and flicked his wrist, mimicking a move he'd seen Harry do once. A stream of blue light fled from the wand as a vase was destroyed. The other three looked on at him in shock.

"I'M SO SORRY!" Dudley yelled, flinging the wand at Harry.

Harry smiled a bit, and muttered, "Reparo", while his family watched the broken vase return to it's former glory. "Well I'll be damned." Harry stated. "It looks like there's another wizard in the family."

Petunia promptly fainted, and Dudley's eyes widened with glee, shock, and confusion.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry, Severus, Petunia, and Dudley walked into Ollivander's. "Ahh, Harry Potter and Severus Snape. Are the rumors true?" Mr. Ollivander asked.

"That depends on what rumors you're speaking of." Harry retorted, then pulled Snape closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist.

Mr. Ollivander smiled. "Well, I am sure you are not here to speak of your relationship. What can I do for you?" He asked.

"Well, it turned out my cousin is a wizard." Harry started. "He needs his first wand, and I will pay for it, no backtalk from you this time!" His eyes narrowed.

Mr. Ollivander sized up the other boy, scrutinizing him. Walking towards his shelved, he pulled out a box with a very plain 9¾ inch mahogany wand that held a dragon's heartstring in it's core. He opened the box and placed the wand in the boy's hand. "Well, give it a flick." He said.

"Are you sure?" Dudley asked. "The last time I flicked a wand, something broke."

"How else can we see if it chooses you?" Ollivander asked.

Dudley gave the wand a flick. At first nothing happened, then a small orange light sppeared around his hand, and disappeared as quickly as it came. Ollivander smiled, he'd obviously made the right choice.

"Why did his light only last a second, when mine lasted so long?" Harry inquired.

"That's because you are Harry Potter." Ollivander replied. "Nothing is ever normal for you. I'll see you when you come back for your children's wands Mr. Potter."

"Oh no, you're not getting off that easy. How much do I owe you?" Harry demanded.

The old man wrinkled his nose. "6 galleons if you're going to be persistent."

Harry smiled a bit, knowing the wand was worth more than that. He gave the man 10 galleons and promptly walked from the shop with the three others in tow.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

A few hours later found a very tired Petunia and Dudley looking around their private quarters in the castle. Harry had decided to spend some time with Severus before he was whisked away by his family.

"I still don't understand why everyone had to stare at us like that." Harry whined.

"Because they're not used to seeing their Savior waltzing around with a Death Eater." Severus replied.

"Ex-Death Eater, Spy for the Light, Member of the Order of the Phoenix, and wonderful man." Harry corrected.

All of a sudden, Harry doubled over in pain, groaned and bit back tears. "Sev... Sev'rus... It hurts."

"What's happened?" Severus asked. He floo-called Madame Pomfrey. "Come quick, something is wrong!"

As Poppy came through the fire, Harry was effectively losing everything he'd eaten that day. His hands were glowing blue for a moment, then Harry collapsed.

"What happened to him? And why are you smiling?" Severus demanded.

"It seems he's coming into the last stages of his inheritance." Poppy said simply. "His mother did the same thing when she was his age."


	11. News

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 11**

_News_

"What are you two TALKING about?" Dudley asked, confused beyond belief.

"We're discussing which house we think you would be sorted into had you came here when Harry did." Severus replied.

"No, we're arguing about it. He seems to think you'd be a Slytherin, but I say you're not cunning enough, no offense." Harry stated.

"Yes well, you seem to be the type who would use any means to get what you want. He seems to be under the impression that you would make a good Gryffindor, but I say you aren't brave enough. Again, no offense." Severus

"At least he has nerve, and daring!" Harry responded.

"Why not just ask whoever sorted you?" Dudley inquired.

Both of the other men had gleams in their eyes. "Yes" They said together, then promptly made their way to the Headmaster's office, dragging along a very confused Dudley.

"What can I do for you my boys?" Albus asked.

"We want to speak to the sorting hat." Harry said.

"To find out what house Dudley would have been sorted into." Severus finished.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, then Dudley tilted his head. "Sorting hat? You mean a hat told you where you'd be?"

The three other wizards nodded, and Albus went to retrieve the hat.

"Hi Mr.. Uhm.. Sorting hat Sir." Harry said. "We would like you to tell us which house my cousin Dudley would have been in if he'd gone to this school."

"Very well." The hat responded.

"It TALKS!" Dudley proclaimed.

"Well of course I talk, how else do you expect me to relay the information of the houses one would enter?" The hat asked. "Put me on his head."

Dudley was a tiny bit afraid, and the other wizards looked on in anticipation.

"Definitely not a Ravenclaw." The hat stated. Harry snorted. "HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat bellowed.

Both Severus and Harry looked shocked. Dudley looked confused, and Albus looked proud. Taking the hat off of the boy's head and placing it on his desk, the old man stated, "Well, it looks as if I have just won 10 galleons."

"You bet on my cousin's house placement?" Harry inquired.

"Yes, and I bet he'd be placed into Hufflepuff." Albus smiled. "Minerva owes me 10 galleons." He smiled then leaned back. "Would anyone care for a lemon drop?"

Harry then fell to the floor, his hands glowing yet again.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry was doubled over in pain again, at least this time he was already in the infirmary. "Make... it... stop!" He cried out.

"I'm sorry dear, but your body is going through some changes, and nothing I can do will help." Poppy stated.

Severus held Harry's hand tightly, then barked out at the onlooking Gryffindor that was trying to be sneaky. "Would you either come over here and get a good look, or leave? Sneaking about is doing nothing to calm nerves!" The child ran. "Insufferable children."

Harry shot up in the bed. "Severus? Everything's went blurry! I can't see right. Severus? What happened?"

"Try taking off your glasses Harry." Snape suggested, grasping his hand tighter.

When the young man took his glasses off, everything was still blurry, just less so. He was about to complain, when suddenly his eyesight shifted into clear, straight-lined, perfection. "Merlin, I can SEE!" He stated. He let go of Snape's hand, then wrapped his arms around his midsection, holding hard. "Why does it hurt so much?" He asked.

"I'm not sure." Poppy said. "Lily's last stages were nothing like this. Her pain only lasted for a few minutes."

"Am I turning into something?" Harry inquired, fearing that he would have another thing to set him apart from everyone else.

"No, I don't think you're going through a creature inheritance, if that's what you mean." Madam Pomfrey explained. "If you were, I am sure some of the creature attributes would have shown up by now."

Harry screeched out in pain and leaned forward sharply, almost falling from the bed. Severus caught him and helped straighten him back out. Harry's mind was going all sorts of places, and he couldn't think right. He wasn't sure who was beside him, but he felt safe whoever it was. "Where's Hermione and Ron?" He asked.

"I'll get her for you." Severus said sadly, then went off to find the girl. Some time later he came in with the red-eyed busy-haired girl.

"Hey 'Mione." Harry smiled and winced in pain. "Where's Ron? We have to get to Potions class soon, or Snape's gonna have our hide. You know, don't tell anyone, but I kind of like Snape. I wonder when that started. Why am I in the infirmary? 'Mione, why are you crying?"

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione said, then flung herself at the young man.

"Hey now, don't be all sad. Hey, if I'm in the infirmary does that mean I don't go to Potions? I really don't want to miss it. I know I never told you or Ron this, but I kind of like Potions. Snape is so sexy when he's angry. I didn't know I thought of him like that. Hermione? Hermione? What's wrong with me, why do I feel so tired. Where's Ron, shouldn't he be here by now? I hope Snape didn't kill him for being an idiot."

"Harry, stop." Hermione pleaded. "Please listen." She sniffled. "Harry, Ron's not here anymore..."

Harry's eyes widened. "Did he go through with it then? Did he put that hair color thing in Malfoy's drink and get expelled?"

Hermione shook her head. "No Harry, that was last year, and he never did that... Harry, Ron's not _here_ anymore." Tears started flowing from her cheeks.

"Oh... Last year? How long have I been in here? Whose sitting over there? If Ron's not here, can we go to the Burrow and find him? I really want to see him. What year is this? I'm confused. I missed you Hermione. I don't know why but I did. I missed Ron too... I even missed Malfoy. Don't tell anyone I said that, but I kind of liked fighting with him all the time. He gave me someone to vent my anger on. I'm cold. Where am I? I'm so tired. Hermione, is that you?"

Severus looked away, determined not to break his stone features in front of anyone, confused and saddened by Harry's memory fluctuations.

Harry groaned again, closing his eyes, tensing at the pain. Once he opened his eyes again, he looked back. "Hey guys. What's wrong. Hermione, why are you crying?" He asked concerned, sitting up and lifting her head. "'Mione, are you okay?" He asked.

"I should be asking you that Harry." She said.

He looked back to Snape and noticed the man was trying to hold himself together. "Severus? What happened? What did I do?" He asked.

"You remember everything now, Harry?" Severus asked.

"I've always remembered everything. What happened?"

"Harry, do you remember about Ron?" Hermione inquired.

Harry's eyes widened a bit. "Of course I remember. You tried for ages to get me to believe it wasn't my fault that he'd died."

Hermione burst into tears again and buried her face into his robed. "Would someone tell me what's going on?" Harry asked.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

"I don't understand. I don't remember not remembering." Harry said quite confused.

"You wouldn't." Poppy said. "It's part of the last stages of your inheritance... I believe I have pinpointed what is happening to you, and I can assure you, emotionally the worst is over. I, however, can not tell you what will happen, or what you are just yet. But I assure you, when the time comes, I will tell you what you are." She smiled softly. "Get some rest."

Harry nodded and fell back into his pillow, then fell asleep.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Harry woke up a bit later, and smiled a big, goofy smile. Severus looked at him, then shook his head. "Oh no... Poppy warned me about this." He said.

"She warned ya 'bout what?" Harry asked, a short giggle following behind him.

"Never you mind Mr. Potter." Snape said.

"Oh, back to last names are we Professor Snape?" Harry's smile widened. "Wanna play a game?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Hey, I'm not in the hospital wing anymore! Yay!" Harry said, a look of triumph adorning his face.

"Quite right. I took you back to my quarters to keep you from prying eyes." Severus offered.

"Ohhh your quarters? What are you insinuating Professor, that I'm one of _those types _of girls?" Harry giggled. "I mean boys."

Snape shook his head. _This is going to be... Interesting to say the least. He may as well be both drunk and under the influence of Veritiserum._ "Well, what are you looking at?" Severus asked.

"Oh Sevvie-poo." Harry smiled. "I'm looking at you. I like your face."

"Oh do you?" Severus asked. He knew from Madam Pomfrey that at this stage the boy couldn't lie, so he wondered just what said boy was thinking.

"Yes. I do. Your face is nice. Even your nose." Harry said, and Severus scowled. "I like your nose. It makes you look like you. Plus it shows all the bad times you had to go through to be you. It's like a reminder that you are you and no one can take that away from you. I'm sorry it's been broken before. I think it's been broken, at least I think it has. But it's all you and that's why I like it." Harry tried to explain.

Severus just shook his head. _Of all the things about me to like, he hones in on the one feature that I disdain the most._

"Hey Sev?" Harry asked. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Snape nodded, indeed a bit curious.

Harry leaned in towards him, and whispered loudly, "The first day here, when you came into class, when you'd said, 'I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death', I was taking notes on what you were saying during the speech to distract myself from you."

"You remembered that?" Severus inquired.

"Oh yes, it was very hard to forget. It was the very first time I had ever felt attracted to anything, so I wrote down what you said to keep myself from focusing on your voice. It was like chocolate melting. I didn't know I liked you, or even men, then. I just knew it made me feel weird." He lowered his voice and got a bit angry. "And then you had to go and chastise me in front of the class. I was raised a muggle and didn't know a thing about the wizarding world until the moment I turned 11 and Hagrid came to get me. You made me so mad, I didn't forgive you until 4th year." His features softened, then his smile returned. "But now you're different. Hey, Sev? Will I remember any of this tomorrow?"

"Probably not." Severus said, a bit taken aback from what Harry had said.

"Good because I have something else to tell you that I don't think I could stand if I remembered."

Severus raised an eyebrow and Harry continued. "Sev, I love you, and my mind keeps wandering to having sex with you... but I'm afraid... I'm afraid you wont want to touch me because I let Uncle Vernon force himself on me. He raped me Sev. He took away what I was saving for someone special. Someone who I could see myself with for the rest of my life... Someone like you. Now I can never give that to you..." His eyes held tears as he looked up to the older man. "Sev... I'm sorry I can't give that to you. You deserve so much better."

Severus couldn't handle it anymore, and he let his mask fall. His voice shakey, he responded, "No Harry. You are the one who deserves better than a greasy old death eater. I've done so many wrongs in my life, and you are the one who deserves better than me."

Harry smiled. "I love you Sev. Never change." Then lay back and fell asleep.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Severus woke up to screaming that night. He rushed into his room, Harry had been asleep on his bed and he'd taken the couch, to see what was happening. "What's wrong, Harry?" He asked, rushing to the young man's side.

"Severus, I can't... I can't feel anything except for pain! The sheets touching me hurt, the air on my skin, it hurts so badly... It's like my skin was ripped off, everything hurts!" Harry said pleadingly.

Severus snatched the covers from the young wizard and levitated him so he would feel nothing other than air, then ran to his cabinet on the other side of the room, getting two potions. Coming back to Harry, he held out one. "That's a numbing potion." He explained as Harry drank. He handed Harry the other and watched him down that one as well. "That's a pain reliving potion."

Harry's breathing straightened out a bit, and after a while he calmed down. "Thank you." He whispered hoarsely. Slowly the dark wizard lowered Harry back to the bed. The young man smiled. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Try to get some more sleep." Severus said. He began to walk from the room, but Harry called out to stop him.

"Please stay?" Harry asked. "Just, please stay. Lay with me?" His eyes pleaded.

"Are you sure Harry?" Severus asked.

"Yes... No sex or anything, just please... Sleep beside me..."

Severus nodded a bit, as Harry scooched over and made room. He lay on the bed, and soon watched as his companion fell asleep. He stared into the face of the young man that lay beside him, and wondered what he'd done to deserve this. Reaching his hand out, he caressed Harry's face, and was surprised when the young man didn't recoil, but instead leaned into his hand. Allowing himself a small smile, he, for lack of a better term, pet the young man's cheek.

"Let's go to Diagon Alley tomorrow." Harry said sleepily, his eyes staying firmly glued shut.

"Anything you want Harry." Severus replied.

Harry rolled over a bit, threw his arm around Snape, and snuggled into the slightly shocked man. "I want you." Harry mumbled.


	12. Transformation

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 12**

_Transformation_

Severus woke that night with a sort of pain around his abdomen. He looked towards said pain, to see a pair of arms wrapped tightly around him, growing tighter and tighter. _Wait, I can see them... It's night, why can I see?_ He wondered. Looking up, the sight that met him next was both awe-inspiring and fear-inducing.

Next to him lay Harry, his eyes open with a sort of multicolored light shining from them, looking straight at the ceiling. Severus tried to pry the ever constricting arms from his person, but to no avail. "Harry, let go." He ordered sternly in his best teacher's voice.

"I can hear you, but I can't see you." The young man replied.

"Release me!" Severus demanded. "I can't help you if I am stuck here."

"I can't feel you either. I can't feel anything." Harry replied in a state of near panic.

Severus thought for a moment, then it clicked. He knew what Harry was becoming, and he knew that if he didn't get out of the boy's clutches soon, he would probably not live to tell the tale. "Harry let go of me, you're going through the last of the transformation, your hearing will go next, then.. Well then disaster will strike, you must will yourself to release me, I can't help you if you kill me." As soon as the last words left his mouth, he realized he shouldn't have said them. The poor boy already had the guilt of killing others on his shoulders, and he didn't need the thought of being directly guilty for another to weigh him down.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm trying to make myself let you go but I can't... Severus? SEVERUS? I can't hear you breathing! SEVERUS?" Harry screamed, unsure if he'd already killed the man.

As luck would have it, he'd not killed Snape, but released him, and promptly lost his hearing. Unfortunately, the young wizard had no way of knowing this, and began to cry, assured that he'd caused the death of the man he loved.

Severus was at the floo, screaming out to Poppy. "Get down here, he's going through the very last stage!" As the Medi-Witch stepped from the fireplace, he demanded, "Why didn't you tell me what he was? I could have prepared for this!"

"Severus Snape, you know as well as I do that had you been informed, you would have ran off to get information even though there's virtually none! Now, all we can do is sit back and wait for the physically worst to be over so we can help him. After all, as a Lurkhizki he is going to need all of the support he can get from those around him so he doesn't destroy everything within range, including you!" Poppy stated as she bound Severus to a chair and sat herself down, waiting for the screams to die off.

Severus was intrigued for a moment, then asked from his bindings, "How did he manage to become a Lurkhizki? His mother was only an Ekhi." He wriggled, trying to free himself.

Poppy sent a stunner to Snape to settle him down. "Yes, and she was the lightest Ekhi I had ever seen. His father was a Lur. We just have to figure out who the Ilazki was..." She stated.

"The Dark Lord." Severus said through gritted teeth. "The last known Ilazki was Salazar Slytherin, and the Dark Lord was his heir, he must have transfered the gene to Harry when he was a baby." Feeling the stunner finally die down, he snapped, "Release me this instant you blasted woman!"

By this time the screams had died down a bit, and Madame Pomfrey nodded. "I might as well. We're going to need to ward that room shut so he can't destroy the building. That bit about You-Know-Who was probably spot on."

The woman released Severus, and they ran to his room. She held him off as she cast the first ward to make sure the man couldn't enter. He cursed as she did, but accepted it if only to help the current occupant inside. They worked together and warded the room as much as both of their magic would allow. A few moments later, Severus had his hand against the door, his head bowed a bit.

"You must move away from the door!" Poppy ordered. "We can't have-"

A noise that could only be described as a muffled explosion came from the locked and warded room, knocking both of them back several yards. "Nevermind, it's done." The Medi-Witch huffed. "Come on then, let's remove the wards from the doors." Just as the both got up, Harry opened the door, and looked straight at Severus lying on the ground.

"SEVERUS! You're alive!" He cried, jumping on the man. "The last thing you'd said was that I could kill you then you quit talking. I thought I killed you." He sobbed, wetting the man's night-robe.

"I'm okay Harry, you released me." The man sighed. "How did you get out of that room? It was sealed with both of our best last minute wards."

"He is a Lurkhizki Severus, they wouldn't affect him now." Poppy stated as if it were common knowledge.

Harry raised his head and looked confusedly at the both of them. "I'm a what?"

"Come now Harry, let's get you to the living room to give you something to eat. You must be famished. We will explain everything then." Severus suggested as he lifted himself and the young man from the floor.

"Not going to help an old woman up from a nasty spill I see." Poppy stated as she brushed herself off and stood.

"I see you didn't need the help." Severus retorted.

A few minutes later, just as they were about to set in and explain, a knock came at the portrait. Severus went to open it, bringing with him one very tacky Albus Dumbledore in purple, green, and yellow sleeping robes. "I see that his transformation is over." Albus said.

"Yes, and we were just about to explain what he was." Severus replied shortly.

"Ahh yes, I am just in time then." The old man nodded.

Poppy started the information reel. "Harry dear, you're a Lurkhizki. That is, you're a combination of three of the most delicate elements. Earth, Light, and Dark."

Severus added in, "You mother, Lily, she was an Ekhi, a controller of the light."

"And your father was a Lur, a controller of the earth." Poppy added. "It's been a very long time since any two of the 6 controllers have mated, and an even longer time since a single person has held three of the elements."

"Yes, since Merlin I believe." Albus stated, popping a lemon drop into his mouth.

Severus sighed. "Those two combine to create a Lurkhi. Now, the third elemental you seem to be is an Ilazki, control of the darkness. The last known one was Salazar Slytherin himself."

"But I'm not his heir." Harry stated. "Tom Riddle was."

"Yes dear, and that's where we think you got the gene, from You-Know-Who when you were struck with the killing curse as a baby. He carried the gene." Poppy smiled.

"Okay." Harry stated, a confused look on his face. "So I'm a lur-whatever, and I control 3 of the 6 elements, earth, light, and dark?"

"Yes." Severus and Poppy both responded.

"Why the hell can't I ever just be normal?" Harry whined. "So let me guess... With me being who I am, I can't just be a controller, I have to be a controller of 3 things, and it just *happens* to be that I am the same thing as Merlin, the greatest and most powerful wizard to ever live?"

"It seems so." Albus stated.

"Wonderful." Harry replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

In the great hall at breakfast a few days later, Harry was busy staring at Severus from the Gryffindor table. He had yet to inform his housemates of his... condition, and didn't see any reason to do so in the future.

Severus had just paid an owl and retrieved a copy of the Daily Prophet. Since he'd sat on the end, he was always the first to receive said paper. Glancing down, he read the headline, and his face became angry. "I should have known." He seethed. With a menacing glare, he incinerated the paper and stormed from his barely touched breakfast.

Harry wondered what all of that was about, and shrugged, figuring he would see when he got his copy of the paper. Others around him had started to gasp, some laughed, and still some held pity in their eyes. When Harry finally got his copy, the one he would share with Hermione, he stared at what was written, then stormed from the hall as well, rage filling his body, and a dark, almost mist-like presence wafted from him.

Hermione looked at him, wondering just what it was, then read what the discarded Daily Prophet had said.

_**Scandal at Hogwarts**_

_It has come to my attention that a student and a teacher at Hogwarts are in a relationship, and from the memory I have had the pleasure of viewing, the teacher, one Severus Snape, Potions Master and Ex-Death Eater, seems to be abusive toward his younger counterpart, one Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived. _

_Details on Page 4 - Rita Skeeter_

"I'm going to KILL that wretched bug." Harry seethed, clenching his fists as he walked to the barrier. A hand came out and grabbed his shoulder, which caused him to spin around, wand drawn, a hex on his lips.

"You do not need to tarnish your reputation like that. I will be doing any dirty work. You go back inside and wait for me to return." Severus ordered.

"NO! I am going with you!" Harry stated, using the man's hand on his shoulder against him, and apparated them both to the Prophet's headquarters.

"I should have known the anti-apparation wards wouldn't have held you." Snape commented.

They stormed their way inside, Snape glaring furiously at anyone who was stupid enough to take a peek at them, and Harry, with his wand drawn, daring anyone to do a thing. Storming into Rita Skeeter's office, Harry held the woman at wand-point while Severus warded the door and windows against anything he could think of that she would use to escape.

"What the HELL gave you the right to print that?" Harry demanded, not taking note of the quill writing at a dastardly pace behind the woman's desk.

"I'm sure everyone has the right to know about you-" Rita was cut off.

"NO ONE has the RIGHT to know ANYTHING about my or Mr. Potter's PRIVATE life you filthy creature!" Severus bellowed.

Rita smiled menacingly. "So, you don't deny that you have abused our savior?"

"He has never lain a hand on me in anger you wretched woman!" Harry shrieked.

"Of course the victim would say something like that, it would be conditioned into them. Poor Har-" She was cut off again by Severus silencing her and binding her to the chair.

Harry was angry beyond belief, and he started screaming at the woman. "ABUSE? You want to know about who abused me? That MUGGLE I have lived with since my parents died, he abused me. He has done everything you can do to a person. VERNON DURSLEY is my abuser, SEVERUS SNAPE SAVED ME FROM HIM YOU FUCKING TART! How would you feel if the one person in your LIFE who ever cared enough to look after you and save you from the man who RAPED YOU was accused of abusing you?" By this point Harry had tears streaming down his face.

Rita was floored. She hadn't known any of this, and it would make for a wonderful story.

Severus had noticed the quill by now. "I demand that you make that quill stop writing. You will not publish this!" He demanded.

Harry's eyes widened as he realized everything he'd said had been recorded. "You bitch!" He screamed.

Rita's eyes narrowed a bit. "I will only make sure this entire conversation never goes anywhere near the press if you make it worth my while. I want an exclusive interview in return."

Harry glared at her. "Make an Unbreakable Vow."

The woman's eyes widened. _Damn._ She thought. "Fine!"

The two clasped their hands together, and the silken thread-like magic wove around their hands. Severus started, "Do you, Rita Skeeter, promise to print only the truth in the context of which it was given to you when Harry Potter and I agree to an interview?"

"Yes." She responded.

"And do you promise to destroy any evidence of the conversation you just had with Harry Potter about his past with his Muggle uncle?"

She gritted her teeth. "Yes."

"And do you promise to never again write half-truths, lies, or leave any information out of a story?" Severus smirked.

"What?" Rita demanded. "You can't do that!"

"Oh I can, and while I have you in this situation I will." Severus sneered. "Answer the question."

Rita knew this was bad, but if she said no, she wouldn't get that interview. She decided that this would be the last interview of her career, and she would retire soon afterwards to write a book. "Yes."

Harry spoke up. "And do you, Rita Skeeter, promise to print the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about this interview?"

The blond woman glared at the boy in front of her, and bit out, "Yes."

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

The next day all was tense as the owls with the prophet zoomed in. The quiet was unsettling, and as Severus and Harry received their papers first, they glanced at the headlines and nodded their heads to one another.

_**Hogwarts Scandal Disproven.**_

_I have had the privilege to interview not only Severus Snape, but Harry Potter as well. They have proven to me that I was indeed wrong about the speculations of abuse between them, and agreed to allow my questioning about them. A summary of the interview; They are very much together, in love, and no physical harm has befallen either of them from the other. I would also like to take this time to announce my retirement. As they have placed me under and unbreakable vow, which would ruin my reputation as a great writer under any other circumstances, I no longer have the ability to write interesting columns. _

_Actual Interview Page 3 - Rita Skeeter_

Harry smiled to Hermione, knowing that once the interview was read, the wizarding world could get over it. He also noted how the woman implied that that writing the truth would make her columns less interesting. Wondering if the woman realized exactly what she'd said, as after all, the very first question she'd asked was about said unbreakable vow, and their very first answer was explaining why they wanted her to tell only the truth, the young wizard shook his head and ate his breakfast, taking in the sounds of astonishment from those around him as they read the interview.


	13. Confrontation

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 13**

_Confrontation_

This evening found Harry knocking at the portrait of Salazar Slythering which covered the door of his potion's professor's private chambers. He hadn't heard anything come from the other side of the portrait, and he was so caught up in his mind, playing scenario after scenario of what kinds of rejection he would face when he did manage to ask the man what he'd come down to inquire about, that he really didn't notice the object of his thoughts billowing back to the dungeons and stopping short when he'd noticed the boy.

Severus watched the young man fiddle with the hem of his robe sleeve for a minute or two, just standing in front of his personal rooms. At first, the dark wizard wondered why Harry hadn't just walked in, until he remembered that he'd never given the younger wizard that specific permission. He walked up to the young man, who was so deep in thought that he'd still not noticed the looming presence of the person he'd come to love.

Reaching out a hand and resting it on Harry's shoulder proved to be entertaining. As they weight of his hand had pressed down on the young man's upper arm, Harry spun around, wide-eyed and a bit scared. "I'm sorry Sir." Harry forced out. "I thought you were in your rooms and was just not answering my knock."

"Harry, I would always answer your knock if I were able. Why don't you come inside, you look quite bothered by something, and I may be able to help take your mind off of it." Severus replied, the corner of his lips quirking upwards.

The thought that Severus would answer his knocks was warming, and so Harry smiled and nodded his head, silently making his way into the rooms behind his Professor.

After they'd been seated, Snape asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Harry nodded, then shook his head in the negative, but turned right around and nodded again.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "A verbal response would be a good start, considering it is you who had came to me in search of something."

Harry lowered his head. "Yes Sir. I know, I'm sorry. I've just had something on my mind quite a lot recently, and I keep wondering what the outcome will be. I have a very important questions I want to ask someone, but I fear rejection." He said, trying to keep his reply as vague as possible.

Severus interlaced his fingers and thought for a moment. "Have you ever known this person to reject you when you asked questions of the same importance?"

"That's kind of the problem though, Sir. I haven't ever asked them a question like this, and I am afraid it would ruin what relationship we've built up." Harry almost whispered.

Snape bristled with a pang of jealousy at this. _I should have known he would have been seeking the allure of someone more suited to his own age. I will not allow this to ruin the friendship we have created though. Even if I may not have him as a lover, I can still have him as a friend. _He sighed for a moment, then spoke in a dismissive tone. "Well, I suggest you tell whoever it is how you feel about them, and if it ruins what you have, then you were obviously not meant to be."

Harry smiled at the man. "He already knows how I feel about him. He's known for a little while now. That's not what I wanted to talk to him about."

This had Severus quite confused. _Someone who has known for a while how he feels? He's been cheating on me? Well, we hadn't really started an actual relationship, just some kisses and shared proclamations of love. _His heart weighed heavily in his chest. The man was utterly confused and hurt. "I don't know what to say then." He looked away from the young man who had stolen his heart, and shattered it into a million pieces.

Harry stood up and strode over to the dark wizard, cupping the sullen face into his hands. "I will take your advice Sir." He said. He removed his hand, but didn't leave, and got down to his knees. When Severus finally looked at him to snap something at him about wasting his time, the young man spoke again. "My question was for you. I had wanted to ask if you would allow me to relocate to your private chambers. I seem to be spending an awful lot of time here anyways, and people are beginning to come here to look for me first instead of going to the Gryffindor Tower. So, I guess this is a formal way of asking, may I move in with you?"

Severus was taken aback. _He wants to move in with me? He wasn't cheating on me? He wasn't talking about someone else? Am I really that insecure?... Yes, yes I am. _"You have no idea..." Snape started. Harry's face fell as he lowered his head, prepared to take the rejection. "How scared you had me." The older man whispered.

Harry's head jerked up, tilted to the side, and he couldn't stop the question from exiting his mouth. "What do you mean how scared I had you?"

Severus reached down, and this time it was he who was cupping a face in his hands. "When you had talked about me in the sense of a third party not privy to our conversation, I was sure that you had found someone else, someone who could give you so much more than I." His eyes held an almost glassy look as moisture began to form in them.

"Severus, I would never do that. No one can give me what you give me. No one can ever be what you are to me. No one, except you." Harry stated with conviction.

"Yes, you may relocate to my dungeons, if that is what you truly want. But only on one condition." He said firmly, not allowing his face and mannerisms to show what his eyes couldn't help but bear out in the open. Harry nodded, indicating he would listen to said condition. "When you have a question for me, just ask it. Don't scare me like that again."

Harry smiled, happy to receive the news that he could move in, but then his face turned to a an emotionally stricken one as he lunged toward his older counterpart. "I am so sorry Severus, I never meant to make you think that. I was just so scared. I promise I will never do that again, I didn't realize. I'm so sorry." He choked against his own saliva, trying to calm himself a bit. He couldn't believe that he had worried the man so much. He couldn't believe that someone had cared enough about him to worry so much over him.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Later the next day, Harry and Severus were in the spare room that they'd asked the Headmaster to add to his private quarters, trying to make the room more to Harry's tastes as house elves brought his items down from his dorm. They were lightly arguing over what color Harry would have for his walls.

"I am telling you, I don't want red in here. I want green, more specifically, Slytherin green."

"I feel that there is enough green in these quarters. Plus, there's the whole, 'being a Gryffindor' thing, and that one should have house pride, no matter where they reside."

"But everyone tells me the green goes with my eyes so well." Harry pleaded.

"I will not allow you to forget that you are a Gryffindor. That is your house, and you should have reminders, even in these dark walls." Severus retorted.

A house elf, Lina, studied the two for a moment. "Why doesn't Master Sevvie just make the walls green, and the moulding, and trinkety stuff gold? Make it like the two combined?"

Harry, who was not quite used to house elves being so freely spoken, worried for her when she called the man, 'Sevvie'.

"Lina my dear, you are a genius!" Severus beamed as the little house elf did a curtsy. "Oh, by the way, Harry, this is one of my personal house elves, Lina. Lina, I've already informed you of Harry, but had yet to introduce you."

Harry smiled at the house elf, and bowed at her. "It's nice to meet someone who is as freely spoken around Severus as you are Lina." He chuckled, still a bit nervous about what may be in store.

Severus smiled. "She is one of the few who has been given the right. I dare say she ordered the right."

"Master Sevvie was raised by Lina half of the time when the old Master and Mistress were around." Lina explained. "Because Lina raised him, Master Sevvie had to give Lina the right to speak like this, or she would hit him with something hard."

"She's a bit like Madam Pomfrey, isn't she?" Harry asked slightly bewildered.

"Yes, indeed." Severus answered, amusement filling his features. With a wave of his wand, he'd done the colors of the room as Lina had suggested, and both of the men stared, quite glad they'd taken her advice.

"This looks wonderful!" Harry chirped.

Severus had noticed only the single trunk brought down, and as it was opened to start placing the items around the room, he'd asked aloud, "Where are the rest of your items?"

Harry blushed a bit, feeling quite shamed. "This is all I own Sir." 

"I see." Severus said. "Then stop moving things around. We are going shopping."

"Right now?" Harry squeaked,

"Quite. I will not have you running around these quarters as if you own the place without you actually owning some of the things that reside in them along with your person." The older man retorted.

Harry wasn't quite sure whether to feel happy, angry, sad, or just plain confused. "Okay, we will have to stop by Gringotts first, I haven't withdrew any money lately and don't have enough to spend on much of anything."

"We will do no such thing." Snape replied. As Harry's eyes widened, Severus continued, "While you are living with me, I will do my hardest to take care of your needs. This includes, but is not limited to, food, shelter, clothing, school supplies, and medical needs. Should something else arise, I will provide for it as well."

Harry's face had turned red. "I don't think you should have to burden yourself with all that."

"It is no burden at all. While you are here, these needs will be met, and I will take kindly if you don't argue with me. That is my final say on the matter." Severus stared intensely at the young man.

"Yes Sir." Harry said, unsure of how this was going to play out.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Their first stop of the impromptu shopping trip was at Madam Malkin's. Briskly walking into the stoor, they were greeted with a friendly voice. "How may I be of help to you Mr. Snape?" Miss Malkin asked.

Severus sidestepped a bit, revealing Harry behind him. "We are here to get him some clothing." He waited for the woman to get her paper and a quick quotes quill. When the long feathered writing utensil was poised and the woman nodded, Snape continued. "Preferably 3 sets of dress robes, 3 sets of casual robes, 2 more sets of school robes, one formal black frock coat, and 4 sets of underclothing that may be mis-matched between them."

Harry stared at the man as if he'd lost his mind. "You can't get me ALL of that Sir, please let me pay for it! It's so much."

"I can, and I shall. Shush." Snape ordered.

Almost 2 hours had passed getting the young man measured quite well and selecting fabrics. Snape finally turned to the woman. "Thank you for taking so much time to astern to his needs, Madame Malkin. If you would kindly owl them to Hogwarts to be delivered to my quarters when they are finished, it would be most appreciated."

Walking from the shop, Harry's head was still spinning. The grand total of it all had come up to 52 Galleons, 1 sickle, and 5 knutts. The young man was positive that they weren't going to go anywhere else, but he was definitely mistaken.

Walking into a furniture shop, they were immediately noticed by a young salesman, who was looking hungrily at Harry.

"Sir, what are we doing here?" The young man asked.

"We are here to attain for you a new trunk, a proper wardrobe so you shall not have to put the clothing you will be receiving daily into said trunk, and a new bed. I shall not have you sleeping on an old cast off like a guest." Severus stated as if it were obvious.

By this time, Harry knew better than to argue with the man, so he just nodded, still a bit flabbergasted at all of the things he was getting today. The two looked around, and the salesman who'd noticed them before rounded into them with a broad smile on his face. "My name is Jon. May I be of assistance to you today?" He asked politely, making sure to address both of the men before him to assess their relationship.

Severus looked at him and replied. "Yes, we are setting him up for a new room, and as he will be picking the trunk and bed out for himself, we will be needing help with the wardrobe." He rattled off what they'd gotten at the previous store, and asked that the wardrobe be able to accommodate twice as much as he'd listed, as he'd planned on filling out the contents over the year.

The young salesman nodded and smiled, assuming it was a father taking his son shopping, and took Harry off to the wardrobe section, not noticing that the older man was stalking behind them to ensure Harry was not in any danger.

"Well, these will be the best for ya, they have some hidden compartments in them, assuming you need to hide anything from the old man." Jon stated.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, not quite sure what he'd heard.

"Well everyone has their secrets, right?" Jon winked at him. "Just in case you wanted to hide anything, like say a copy of playwitch or playwizard."

Harry glared at him, a look that could rival Snape's on a bad day. "I would not hide anything from him, and he is NOT old." Severus was quite a bit proud of Harry for a few moments, then continued his watching.

Jon smiled. "Ah, so innocent and nieve." He continued to prattle on about the different uses of some of the other wardrobes, then came to a rather large one. "Now this is magically charmed so that the inside is bigger than the outside. It's great if you want to sneak a lover inside, can fit up to 3 people, even when filled with clothing." His smile turned a bit predatory. "Would you care to try it out?"

"I don't know what you take me for, but the only one I would be trying anything like that out with is Severus, the man I came in with." Harry huffed.

Jon put his hand on the young man's arm, and gripped tightly sure to leave bruises. "Why would you do anything like that with that old bat? Especially when you could have someone like me who could take care of you in..." Jon wrapped his hand around Harry's groin, pulling harshly. "better ways."

Severus was seeing red, and was just about to jump out and throttle the man, when his young counterpart did something quite unexpected. Harry punched the salesman square in the nose, sending his grip from his neither regions, then grabbed the man's hand, casting a silent binding spell over him and slowly bent his fingers backward, straining them.

"You have no sense of decency, you sexually harass a customer, you badmouth another customer behind his back, and you try to molest someone you perceive as innocent. Let me tell you something, fucker." Harry bent one finger back, which audibly snapped as it broke. He cast a wordless wandless silencing spell on Jon just as the salesman let out a cry of pain.

"I have lived with your type before, I have been at the mercy of your type, the abusive lot, and that man you saw me come in with saved me from it." Harry bent another all the way back, Jon had tears in his eyes now, but couldn't seem to talk.

"He would not take too kindly to your actions towards me, and would probably quite kill you had he seen what you'd done, so be lucky you're only dealing with me." He snapped another finger as tears rolled down Jon's face and his mouth opened in a silent scream.

"You can't speak because I cast a silencing charm on you, you fuck. It's called wandless and wordless magic, you should try it sometime. Oh, and by the way, I love that, 'old bat', so don't ever let me catch you saying anything like that about him again..." He snapped the fourth finger. "Got it?"

Jon nodded helplessly as Harry wandlessly and wordlessly opened the wardrobe which had been the initial cause of the commotion, and levitated the man into it, slamming the doors shut, and locking it from the outside.

Severus was filled with emotions, pride, love, contentment, reassurance, and lust. He walked towards Harry, who had just slunk against a wall, and held his knees to his chest.

Harry was jolted from his brooding when he felt a hand on his face. He glanced up to stare into coal black eyes which flickered with emotion. "I'm so sorry Severus." He whispered as he cupped his own hand around the one that was holding his cheek.

"Whatever for? You did a wonderful job of disposing of that clerk." Snape smiled at him, a real genuine smile.

Harry shook his head. "I couldn't control myself... I wanted him to suffer and I wanted him to pay for what he'd said... I'm afraid." He whispered.

Severus lifted the young man's chin up, and brushed a chaste kiss across his lips. "What has you afraid?"

Closing his eyes, Harry sighed. "That I will like hurting people, or even killing them. That I will turn into the next Dark Lord and go mad."

"I do not believe that will ever happen Harry, you're too light for that." Snape reassured him before he swooped in for another kiss, not so brief this time. "How about we go to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, and get something tasty, then resume our shopping at another furniture store." He suggested.

Harry smiled up at him, then nodded, happy to be out of this store whose employees didn't know how to keep it in their pants.


	14. Unexpected

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 14**

_Unexpected_

As Harry and Severus were walking from the ice cream shop, Harry thought for a moment of what had just happened. This thought caused him to giggle. At Snape's questioning eyes, he said through chuckles, "I'm sorry, I just never imagined you would order anything else other than vanilla. It was just so funny to hear you say..." He laughed yet again, harder this time, "Tootie Fruitie Swirl. I don't think I could have held it together until we got out here if you would have asked for sprinkles." He laughed violently.

Severus' face was as stoney and serious as ever, "Sorry to disappoint, I only order sprinkles on Thursdays." A smirk played across his lips.

Harry's eyes widened and his smile grew. "Merlin Severus, I think that's the first time I've ever heard you joke."

Snape huffed. "I think it's the first time I've heard myself do such as well. You must be rubbing off on me." He scowled at his treat, then licked around the top of the cone to catch the drops that had formed.

"If you keep licking your cone that way, jokes wont be the only thing I'll rub off on you." Harry muttered under his breath. As soon as the words had left his mouth, his face flushed crimson, as he couldn't believe he'd just said that.

Severus choked a little, on what he couldn't be sure, and he looked at Harry. "I can't believe you just said that."

"Neither can I." The younger wizard admitted, looking back at Snape.

The two sat in relative silence eating their ice cream. The scene before playing heavily on their minds. Harry was the first to break the silence. "Well, you said there was another furniture store around here?"

Severus nodded. "Indeed, but it is not on Diagon Alley. It's in the muggle section, and as such, it is a muggle store. We will have to ask them to deliver the products somewhere else, then shrink them after the delivery men have left."

"What if we rent a moving van for an hour and have them load the pieces there straight from the store, and shrink the things down before we go back to the castle?" Harry offered.

Severus thought a moment, "Yes, I believe that would work out quite well. You're finally using your brain Mr. Potter."

"Well, I've had one of the best teachers to help me hone my skills, Professor Snape." The young wizard retorted.

After having left the furniture store with the moving van, Snape requested they pull off to the side of the road so he could check to ensure nothing was damaged. The driver appeased him, and let them out, then opened the back door. Harry took the man back up to the front and chatted about nothingness for a moment, then when Severus came back round, patting his bag to say that he'd shrunk the items, Snape called the man's attention and obliviated him, and they apparated back to Diagon Alley.

"That was brilliant." Harry said. "It feels as if we've just broken some rule and gotten away with it."

Severus smirked. "That's because you're still not quite used to dealing with muggles in such a fashion."

They went on, next to Scribbulus Writing Instruments. Harry looked up, inquiring as to their reason in there, and Snape answered, "We are here to gather for you some parchment, another journal that is magically enhanced to keep anyone else from reading it unless you key them in, and a new set of quills."

The young man nodded, smiling, and they went to browse the merchandise. Harry knew that whatever journal he got, he would key Severus into, as he wanted to hide nothing from the older wizard. Looking at several of the options, he stopped in his tracks upon a beautifully bound, black leather contraption that had a moving silver snake on the front.

**You're beautiful.** Harry absentmindedly said out loud in parstletongue.

***Thank you ssssspeaker.* **The metal snake responded.

**You can talk? **Harry asked, stating the apparently obvious.

***Yessss. The one who made thisss book enchanted the ssssoul of a live ssssnake into the protection key on the front.* **The snake answered.

Carrying the book to the front, Harry, with bright eyes and a happy smile asked the man the price of the book. The clerk responded, "I am sorry, but that book is not for sale. I have been given instructions from it's creator to hold out for the one it was destined to be for."

"Oh..." Harry said. "Thank you anyways." He went to return the book to the shelf, but the clerk called him back.

"You can always see if you are that one." He smiled. "Put your hand on the center."

Harry looked at the book. **Excussse me, would you allow me to place my hand on you?** He asked the snake.

***Of courssse. Thank you for assssking ssssspeaker.* **Harry slid his hand over the top of the snake, and when nothing happened, he sighed almost disappointed. He glanced to the clerk, who had a crazy smile on his face.

"Yes! You are the one for the book!" The clerk exclaimed. "You may have it, free of charge! You're the first person to touch the book like that and not get bitten."

Realization hit Harry like a ton of bricks. "The creator was holding out for a parstlemouth?" He asked aloud.

"Oh no," The clerk answered. "There was another parstlemouth years ago who tried to buy the book, but the snake on the front still bit him."

Harry asked the snake about the other parstlemouth. **What did the first sssspeaker do to you to keep you from accepting him?**

***He ordered me to not attack him, and ssssaid he would burn me if I did.* **It answered.

While they were heading back home, Harry quickly thought of something. "Hey, Severus? Can we go to Gringotts, then to a jewelry shop? I have to get Hermione a something to remind her that I am still thinking of Ron for his birthday on March 1st."

Severus nodded, and said he would give him space at the shop, as he didn't want to intrude on something as personal as that.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Back at home after a long afternoon of shopping, just as the last bits were being put in their place, Harry took out his new journal, and called for the man he'd come to love to meet him in the living room.

Severus walked in and sat beside Harry. "What is it?" He asked.

"I wanted to key you into the journal." Harry responded smiling.

"You know you don't have to do that." Snape replied.

"Yes, but I want to." Harry looked up to him, then brushed a kiss across the older man's cheek. Stroking the snake's back, he asked. **How am I to key in another person to allow them to read your contents?**

***You have them hold their hand over me and tell them to sssspeak to me, asssking permisssssion.*** The snake answered.

Harry's face fell. **I can't do that... He isss not a sssspeaker. **

***Make him one.* **The snake replied.

**I don't know how.** Harry answered honestly.

***Ssssshare blood. Create a hole on both of you, and sssshare your blood. Make ssssure your intent issss to allow him sssspeech. In your world though, a blood bond meanssss marriage, so do not take thisssss lightly.***

**I thank you. I had been wondering how to bring up the sssssubject of possssssible marriage to him, and you've given me a wonderful reason.**

"Severus?" Harry asked. "The snake says that to key you into the book, you have to be a parstlemouth. He said that to make you a parstlemouth, we have to share a blood bond."

Severus' eyes grew wide. "I don't think we should do that yet." He whispered.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of a little blood." Harry said.

"No... It's not that." Snape answered. "When two wizards share a blood bond, it's the same as an engagement, a promise of betrothal." He closed his eyes and his voice had a slight waver. "It would be like one asking the other to marry them, and they would have a year to wed, and a day after the wedding to consummate their vows."

"Who says I wasn't already thinking about it Severus... I mean, after all, I did just move in with you, and the whole wizarding world knows were together, why not make it mean something." He asked. He knelt down in front of the man. "I got this today in the jewelry shop after I got Hermione her remembrance necklace. I thought I wouldn't use it for a while, I'd planned on doing this graduation day, but, I'm rambling. Severus Tobias Snape, will you marry me?" He asked opening the box to reveal a silver band that was swirled with gold traces and two small gems laid into to, one emerald and one ruby.

Severus' eyes became moist, but not enough to cause any tears to flow. "I never thought you would be the one to propose to me." He whispered, then fished around in his robes for something. He pulled out a box as well, and opened it, revealing an almost identical band, gold with silver traces and the same two gemstones opposite one another. "I bought this today as well, while you were searching for your necklace. I, too, had planned on asking the day of your graduation. Harry James Potter, I will marry you, only if you accept this band as well."

Harry lunged into Severus' arms, holding tightly. Tears were shed, laughter was heard, it was a moment full of some of the happiest emotions either of them had felt in a long while. Somehow, they ended up lip-locked on the couch with Harry on top when Albus came in, quite uninvited.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I see that everything is fine between you two." He said, his eyes twinkling madly.

Harry looked up and blushed. "Yes Sir." He said, and held up his hand with the ring adorning it to explain everything.

"Severus, I thought you'd said you were going to wait until he graduated." Albus said, a bit shocked.

Severus poked his head out from the side of the couch as Albus made his way into a chair beside them. "I was, but it turned out that he was thinking the same thing." He replied, showing his band as well. "He was also going to wait until graduation, but something came up and he'd decided to spring it on me today. Technically, it was Harry who asked me to marry him."

They asked for Minerva and Hermione to join them as well, and once all four were settled in, they began the explanation. They talked for a while about what had happened that led up to it, and what all was going to happen to them now.

"Well, when were you planning on having the wedding?" Hermione asked, elated that her best friend was so happy.

"We haven't discussed that yet." Severus replied.

"Will you be having children?" Minerva asked.

"Well, if we can find a surrogate, maybe. We still haven't really talked about that either." Harry responded.

At Albus, Minerva, and Severus' confused looks, Hermione explained. "Muggle men can't have children, and when two men want a child, often they ask a woman to carry the baby for them, and one of the men will impregnate her."

"Wait, Wizard men can have children?" Harry asked.

"Of course." "Absolutely." "Yes." came the responses of the eldest three in the room.

"They should really teach this kind of thing in the Muggle Studies class." Harry said, slightly bewildered.

"I've always thought that class was a joke." Severus stated. "They never teach anything other what they speculate the muggles do without magic."

Hermione smiled as an idea crossed her mind. "Hey, Harry! Perhaps after you graduate, you can become the Muggle Studies professor, and set right the course!"

"I think that is a wonderful idea Miss Granger." Albus stated. "What do you think of it, Harry?"

"Well, I had already decided that I didn't really want to be an auror, and this is just the kind of confusion that would be best avoided... I think I would like that." Harry replied, a smile on his face.

"Should we tell him, Albus?" Minerva asked.

"I think we should dear." Dumbledore responded.

"Tell whom, what exactly?" Severus demanded.

"Minerva had the idea that Harry might take his NEWTS a year early. She'd said that he was excelling in almost all of his classes, even potions." Albus replied.

"Yes, and he could graduate with this year. Hermione Granger as well, since her scores are top notch." Professor McGonagall added.

"But we haven't taken any 7th year anything!" Harry protested. "How do you know we could pass them?"

"Oh Harry." Hermione giggled. "I guess you haven't noticed, but every time the professors had given you and I separate tasks than the rest of the class, we'd gotten 7th year assignments. The homework, essays, even some of the in-class assignments were 7th year."

Minerva smiled. "She's correct. Your teachers and I had been talking about how well you were doing, and we'd agreed to test you to see if you were able."

"I'd realized that most of your assignments had been things that one might expect on the NEWTS, but I hadn't thought this much planning had gone into changing my curriculum." Severus added.

The five chatted about this for a long while. They had come to the conclusion that the two young students would graduate this year instead of the next, and that Harry would go off to get proper training to be a well rounded teacher.

"Wait!" Harry almost yelled. "If I go off after graduation, when will Severus and I have the wedding?"

_Have it the day after graduation._ a soft female voice suggested.

"That's a wonderful idea!" Harry smiled.

"What's a wonderful idea?" Severus inquired.

"Oh they just said to have it the day after graduation. Weren't you listening?" Harry asked.

"Who said?" Hermione wondered aloud.

"I hadn't heard anything." Minerva added.

Albus kept quiet.

"I... I don't know who said.. Who said that?" Harry demanded, becoming a bit panicked.

_You finally heard me?_ The strange voice asked.

"Yes I heard you." Harry answered. "Who are you?"

The others looked at Harry as if he'd grown a second head. Everyone except for the headmaster, who just beamed with pride.

_It's about time!_ The voice proclaimed. _I'd been trying for years to get you to listen to me. Always going on and on with your daily life, never stopping to hear what's right beside you. You ought to be ashamed of yourself._ It scolded.

_Now now, he's never heard you before, it's best not to scold him. _Dumbledore's voice broke through. Harry stared at the headmaster, and the man continued without moving his lips. _Harry, I would like to introduce you to Chastity._

"Whose Chastity?" Harry demanded.

Minerva and Severus gasped. "You can hear Chastity?" Snape asked.

"Apparently." Harry said. "Who is it?"

"Oh only the very essence of Hogwarts herself." Minerva explained. "Every permanent headmaster has been able to hear her, in face, she's chosen them."

"All of the professors are aware of her existence, but none other than those who would move on to headmaster have been able to hear her." Severus stated, quite shaken up.

_Though you aren't going to become headmaster any time soon young Harry. _Chastity informed him.

Harry's eyes grew. "But you said soon... Does that mean..."

"Yes it does my boy." Albus smiled. "She's been rattling on since you've first come here about how you would be the next headmaster of Hogwarts. It wont happen until I die though. Now, enough of this chit chat, we have to get Harry and Severus' wedding planned!"


	15. Acceptance

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

**Chapter 15**

_Acceptance  
><em>

"Severus, I don't think I can do this." Harry said, shaking slightly.

"Why not?" Severus asked.

"I know it's Ron's birthday today, and I know he's dead... But... I just don't remember how he died." Harry admitted. His eyes became moist and he clutched the necklace he'd got for Hermione the month before.

"How long have you not been able to remember how he died?" Snape asked, slipping into counselor role.

"Since my transformation." The young wizard answered. "There are a couple of things that I know are true, but I can't remember the details about them."

"What things?" The dark wizard inquired, trying to change the subject a bit. He remembered how Ron died, but he knew as soon as Harry found out, he would go into self-loathing again.

"Well, like I remember that we got together, but I don't remember exactly when that happened." Harry admitted.

"Christmas day I would presume. That is when we first kissed, or I should say, you kissed me." Severus answered. "It was the day you allowed me into the Chamber of Secrets, the day you had two visions, and the day of the final battle."

Harry's eyes widened as he remembered everything about the day. "I remember." He said. "As soon as you said it, I remembered! I remember everything that happened... Except how Ron died." His voice rose. "There's two more things I can't remember and you must tell me!"

Severus nodded. "Of course." His mind was trying to piece together why the young man couldn't remember certain things since his transformation, but couldn't yet.

"I remember seeing you laughing in the dungeons, clutching your side, and I remember asking you if you'd seen someone's face, and how hilarious something was. Then you said something about a ravenclaw... What happened to make you laugh like that?" Harry wondered.

Severus sighed, it appeared all of the things he'd forgotten had been significant to their relationship... "That was the day we'd made our relationship public. You and I staged a mock argument in the Great Hall that ended up with you screaming, 'Screw you', and me sarcastically requesting a time and place, you'd said, 'your rooms, ten minutes', I pushed you into a rather forceful kiss, and we shared 'I love you's'."

Again, as the man spoke, Harry remembered everything. He also remembered something else about that day. "Severus... In the Great Hall that day... Before I left, I felt something and I didn't realize what it was... I felt like a tinge of magic had hit me, but I figured it was nothing more than my nerves."

Severus' eyes widened. "What kind of magic?"

"It was like a... like the feeling of snow prickling on my skin everywhere at once." The young man said.

"Can you remember the color? Where it was aimed?" Snape asked quickly.

_Orange. Your head. _Chastity answered.

"Chastity said it was orange and aimed at my head." Harry stated, a bit frightened.

"That was mind magic..." Severus solemnly said. "It works to slowly make the victim forget things that are the most important to them, and eventually, if not caught soon enough, can make the victim forget everything besides basic living functions. The way you describe it, like snow prickling your skin, it sounds like a certain spell, _Ineget Metusul. _The only weakness of the spell, is that once certain things are revealed to the victim, they remember what happened. We must find out who cast this curse."

"Chastity, did you see who case the curse?" Harry asked to the castle.

_Vincent Crabbe . _The castle responded.

"She says it was Crabbe." Harry responded.

"If she's known all this time, why hasn't she said anything?" Severus demanded.

_Do you have any idea how often something is happening? Every second of every day I am doing something to protect or help someone, I don't have the time to inform everyone of every little thing that happens. My duty is to the headmaster and now that he's heard me, Harry._

"She said it's hard trying to keep everyone safe and she has to report almost everything to Dumbledore." Harry relayed. "Now, tell me how Ron died." He said with conviction.

Severus went pale. "I would rather not."

"So it is my fault." Harry answered.

"Absolutely not!" Severus stated as he stood up. He started pacing. "Harry, Ron died at the final battle. While you were seeking out The Dark Lord, he threw an Avada your way, and Ron saw it, then jumped in front of it to save you."

"It is my fault... He took an unforgivable meant for me." Harry's eyes began to tear up as he remembered watching Ron's body crumple at his feet. He remembered reaching out and touching the young man, then screaming for him to stay alive, even though he knew Ron was dead. He finally remembered everything about the day, and realized that it was then he spotted Voldemort, and then he started sucking the magic from Death Eaters making his way towards the Dark Lord.

Harry was brought back to the here and now when he felt arms wrapped around him squeeze him. He looked up to see the man he loved, no, his fiance. "Thank you." Harry whispered. He broke away. "I need to give this to Hermione." Severus nodded.

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

While Harry was out finding his friend, Severus had decided to find one Vincent Crabbe. He stalked the dungeons, but found no sign of the young man. Searched the halls, but saw nary a clue. Examined the corridors, but no one knew where he might be. Finally, he made his way outside and found the insufferable parasite about to hop on a broom.

Stretching out his arm, he accio'd the child's broom and billowed up to him. "I demand an explanation for your actions on the 13th of January." He shouted, towering over the young man.

"You're gonna have to do better than that. I barely remember what I ate this morning." Vincint answered honestly.

Severus sighed. "The day that Harry and I staged our argument, and the day that YOU cast the Ineget Metusul."

"Oh yeah. That was under the Dark Lord's orders." Crabbe answered stupidly.

"The Dark Lord was dead then, and he is dead now. You will need a better excuse for yourself." Severus demanded, holding his wand at the young man's neck.

"The last meeting before he died he gave us all tasks to complete in case he _did_ die. You would have known that if you'd been there, or were you busy fucking Potter then too?" Crabbe spat.

"I have nothing to either admit or deny to you. You will tell me who else has yet to complete their tasks, or I will do things to you that would make the Dark Lord blush." Snape demanded, tightening his grip on the wand, glaring at the child.

Just then, Harry came strolling out getting ready to fly off somewhere on his fire-bolt. He noticed his fiance with wand held at the neck of his attacker and stormed over. "YOU!" He yelled, an aura of darkness radiating from him. "YOU cast that spell on me, YOU made me forget things and have to be reminded again how I cost my best friend his life, YOU made me forget the special times I shared with Severus, YOU ARE GOING TO PAY!" He snatched Vincent from Severus and held him by the collar, the black smokey aura surrounding him coming off like liquid and engulfing the young man.

"Harry, put him down this instant! He has information!" Severus tried to reason.

The young wizard didn't seem to hear what his betrothed had said as the mist continued to surround young Crabbe. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now." Harry snarled. "Give me ONE GOOD REASON!"

"B-b-because I have names of other people who are gonna try to hurt you!" Crabbe stuttered out as fast as he could.

Harry looked in his face then threw him to the ground. Waving his hand he silently ordered two small blades of grass to grow magnificently and wrap around the young Slytherin's hands to act as cuffs.

Severus was surprised. Harry had never shown this much progress in their training of his controlling the elements, so Snape deducted that it must be how much of an emotion he is feeling at the time that determines how easily he can control said elements. "What are the names and tasks Crabbe?" Severus demanded.

"M-M-Malfoy Sir. Lucius Malfoy is to pull strings and get a job here to get close to Potter. And G-G-Goyle. He was supposed to cast some kind of spell on Potter to make him forget about witches and wizards, it's like the obliviate, but targeted only on the memories including the wizarding world." Vincent answered, hoping to get out of trouble. "Those are the only two left who haven't had a chance to get around to it. We all only had one shot and so far I was the first to actually get a hit in."

"You're pathetic Crabbe." Harry retorted. "You sell out your best friend, and your other best friend's father in some attempt to keep your own life. You have earned nothing in this." He spat as he allowed the mist to come back full force and swallow the young man. Staring at the empty space before him where the young Slytherin had been sitting, realization hit him that he just killed someone, and he had no idea how he'd made the dark that he controlled do it. Sinking on his legs, he sat on his knees and cried.

"Harry, what did you do?" Severus asked. He wrapped his arms around the young man, who didn't seem to register it. "It's going to be all right Harry. You're going to be all right."

Finally Harry felt arms around him. "I killed him." He whispered.

"No, I don't think you did. I can still feel his magic." Severus stated. The young wizard looked up at him and Snape continued. "Focus on the shadows you control. Request that they bring him back." He hoped he was right and the young man wasn't dead.

For the next 20 minutes, Harry did just what he was told, begged and pleaded with the darkness to bring Crabbe back. Finally, a black mist came back and swirled for a moment, then did what could only be described as spat out the young man, and disappeared. Planting a kiss on Harry's forehead, Severus then rose and took young Crabbe to the Headmaster's office.

Harry just staggered off, unable to grasp that his initial feeling after the darkness swallowed Vincent was elation that he had thought the young man had died. What would he do if the next time the shadows wouldn't cooperate? He found himself standing in front of the Headmaster's office, and as he was going to walk in, he saw Crabbe shaking and walking away, who then turned and ran when he noticed Harry. The young man just made his way into the office.

"Professor Dumbledore, I need to be punished. I've done something unforgivable and it can't just go away." Harry admitted, walking almost emotionless towards an empty seat, not registering that his fiance, who hadn't left the room yet, was sitting beside him in the other chair, looking quite shocked. "I put the life of Severus at risk, and I've just killed someone... Well, I thought I'd killed them, but it took us 20 minutes to get him back. But the point is, I thought I killed them and I liked the feeling. That is unforgivable, and I request immediate punishment. Expel me."

"Harry, no one is going to expel you." Snape said.

"Severus? When did you get here." Harry's eyes welled. "I'm so sorry."

"Professor Snape is correct Harry. No one is expelling you. He filled me in on what happened, and considering that the young man you thought you had killed had tried to harm you, this can be considered an act of self defense, especially because said young man is alive and well right now. Just shaken up." Albus stated.

"I'm sorry, but almost 2 months in between the first action and the retaliation hardly can be considered self defense. It's called revenge." Harry said. "Please Sir, I can't just be let off. I almost KILLED a student!"

Severus knew the young man would beat himself up for this, much more than anyone else could have. Albus seemed to know this too, and so he suggested the lightest thing he could think of that would be ordered in this case, considering the 'victim' lived. "How about you serve detention until the end of the school year with Madam Pomfrey once a week, let's say every Wednesday."

Harry nodded. "I can do that Sir."

-x-oOoOoOo-x-

Severus hadn't seen or heard from harry since he'd left the headmaster's office a few hours ago. He hoped that the young man would be in their rooms so he could have a talk with him. Upon entering their chambers, he noticed that books were scattered everywhere. For a second he feared that someone had broken in, until he noticed nothing was taken. He checked Harry's room, with his wand at the ready just in case, but the young man was nowhere in sight. His own room, the bathroom, living room, and kitchen held the same results.

When he reached his private library, he saw a light from underneath the door. Pressing his ear to the wood, he listened to what sounded like chanting coming from the other side. He opened the door with his wand drawn, then stopped at what he heard.

"Liga tenebris occidere malum... Liga tenebris occidere malum... Liga tenebris occidere malum..." Harry chanted over and over. Light was surrounding him and he held a small knife in his hand.

It was the precise second that Harry had lifted the knife that Severus remembered what spell he was hearing. _Bind up the darkness to kill evil. _He recalled the english translation of what Harry was saying. _But he controls part of the dark, therefor he is 1/3 dark... He'd binding himself! The blood! _Severus ran to Harry and snatched the knife away, effectively ruining the young man's attempt at self-binding, and concentration.

"Hey Sev." Harry smiled. "Can you give that back? I was just about to finish binding the evil part of me."

"Harry listen to me, you are not evil!" Severus pleaded.

The younger wizard shook his head in the negative. "Yes I am. I was happy when I thought Crabbe was dead, and it felt good to break that clerks bones. I am evil, and that part of me must die."

"No Harry, listen. That part of you is not evil, it is dark."

"What's the difference?"

"A dark wizard would willingly kill someone who deserved it. An evil wizard would kill those who didn't deserve it. You punished two men and an insane part snake half-blood, you did what was considered dark, but not evil by any means. It was justice. Voldemort was evil, he killed hundreds of muggle families who didn't deserve any of it." Severus reasoned. "Harry, part of what I love about you is your sense of justice."

Tilting his head to the side, Harry whispered. "You don't think I am evil?" Then he thought a moment. "You're my fiance, you're supposed to stand by me, let's get an unbiased opinion."

Severus took Harry's hand and led him from the library into the living room. The young man saw the state of disrepair it was in. "I'm sorry, I hadn't realized that I left the place such a mess." He said. "The only person I trust with something like this, something that is based on what good and evil truly are, is Luna. She's one of the lightest beings I know."

"Don't worry about the mess, let's just owl Luna then and request her presence." Severus said as he started cleaning up while Harry prepared the note.

Some ten or so minutes later, a knock came at the door. "I asked her to bring two another person who she thought was one of the lightest she knew, so don't be surprised." Harry stated as he opened the door.

In walked Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. Luna's airy voice called out, "What did you want us to do Harry?"

Harry showed them to the living room, motioning for them to take a seat. "Severus and I are in a disagreement of sorts, and we would like you two to put in your opinions."

"Oh, we'll help in any way we can." Neville said.

"Good." Harry smiled. "If person A kills person B, and person B was downright evil and was trying to kill person A, does that make person A evil, or dark?"

"Well if person B was trying to kill person A, then person A would be neither evil or dark, they would be defending themselves, so it would be neutral." Luna stated.

"I disagree slightly. I think that person A would have to be at least a little bit dark to be able to kill in the first place, but it's still self defense, so it's not evil at all." Neville added.

"Okay then... What if person A was in a store, and a clerk came on to person A, but the person didn't want it, and person A snapped the clerks fingers, enjoying it immensely. Dark, or evil?" Harry asked.

"I will remind you that the clerk sexually assaulted person A by grabbing their groin and bruising their arm, and person A did not in any way, shape, or form lead the clerk on." Severus interjected.

"A little dark." Both Neville and Luna said. "Only a little though, but because they were being sexually assaulted, it falls more into the neutral zone. Because they enjoyed it, it makes it a little dark." Luna explained while Neville nodded.

Harry was feeling a tiny bit better, but was afraid of their reaction of the next scenario. "Okay, I will accept that. Now, what if person C cast a memory charm on person A at one point made to make the victim forget everything ever important to them, but person A didn't find out until 2 months later. Person A seeks confrontation, and person C admits to it. A then almost kills C, and A feels happy when they think C is dead. Turns out C wasn't dead, just disappeared for a little while. Dark or evil?"

Luna thought for a few minutes. "I would have to say dark, on a scale of 1-10, a 5. Not too dark, but just enough to be considered it. Still not evil though, it was in retaliation against something that could have left them braindead. Even if C had died, I would rate it the same."

Neville shook his head a bit. "I disagree again. Only a little. I would rate it a 7, with 1 being normal and 10 being darkest before going evil. Because A was happy when they thought C was dead, so that makes it dark. But I agree with Luna, it wasn't evil, because A could have been a vegetable because of it."

Harry smiled a bit, then frowned. "Okay, on a scale of 1-20, 1 being just slightly dark, the norm, and 10 being almost evil, 11 being just slightly evil, and 20 being pure evil, what would you rate person A after taking into account all three instances."

"6." Luna said.

"7.5" Neville stated.

Harry couldn't believe it. "You really don't think I am evil?"

Luna smiled. "Of course not person A. I just think you have the capability to be dark, but wouldn't actually go too far. You do have a good sense of justice after all."

Nevile just looked shocked. "You're person A Harry?"

The young wizard just nodded, and Severus spoke. "I am glad that now you have another two opinions that you aren't evil. Maybe now you can stop obsessing over it."

Harry looked up into his fiance's face while his eyes watered and smiled. "Thank you. For believing in me."


	16. Epilogue

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**Chapter 16**

_Epilogue_

It had been 6 years since Harry had graduated and taken his NEWTS. Harry was glad to know that his friends thought of him as nothing more than a Grey Wizard, not even dark. After many long talks with Severus and Hermione, he came to realize that he was indeed, not evil.

Harry was sitting in the great hall at the High Table. Many of the professors that had taught him were still there, and the 'curse' had been lifted from the DADA position, for the time being anyways. For once, Harry was surprised that none other than their own Luna Lovegood had been the DADA Professor for 2 years running and was coming back for more. This thought made him smile.

Severus noticed the smile, and nudged him. When Harry finally looked towards him, Snape raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Harry just sighed and smiled. "I can't believe that Luna is our first DADA Professor who has managed to stay for 2 years, and come back for a third." The older wizard let a smirk play across his face and nodded in silent agreement.

Neville had taken over Madame Sprout's position when she had been the victim of an ill-received jinx that disallowed her earmuffs to work properly when dealing with the mandrake roots. Thankfully, the newly planted roots were still young when this happened, and only resulted in an annoying loss of consciousness. It seemed that the woman was tired of, 'little brats who didn't realize how important rules were'.

Hermione had went on to take several courses in both the muggle and wizarding worlds, and had no less than infiltrated the ministry, setting right the many horrendous wrongs they had committed. Magical Creatures such as werewolves were still not getting a lot of support from many of the pure-blood families, but all in all, they no longer felt threatened or shunned by the general population.

Lucius had died in the final battle, and thanks to Harry informing the Minestry of the information he had with both his and Severus' memories of that fateful encounter with young Crabbe, Goyle had been sought out and obliviated.

Harry noticed that the hall was slowly beginning to fill with the second through seventh years on this, their first day of term, and he anxiously awaited the arrival of the boats brining in the first years. Suddenly, the great hall's doors burst open, and a toddler came rushing in calling, 'Daddy, daddy!'. Madame Pomfrey came in right behind the toddler trying to catch him. He was too fast though, and ran straight to Harry.

"I thought I told you to wait with Poppy." Harry said with a slight scolding tone. "Whatever the problem is, it will have to wait, this is not the time."

"Okay Daddy." The child said, putting on a crestfallen appearance. He leaned in to kiss Harry and Severus on the cheek before reluctantly walking back with the Medi-Witch, and Harry couldn't help but let a chuckle escape. Severus looked at him sternly, raising an eyebrow again, asking the silent questions of who would be the one to lecture the little brat this time, and Harry pointed lightly with his finger to his husband, which caused the dark wizard to roll his eyes.

Finally, all of the students, save the first years, had filled the hall, and it was becoming incredibly noisy. Harry rubbed his temples and shook his head. After what seemed like another hour, but in reality was only 20 minutes, Minerva led in the first years to be sorted. There were more students than normal this year. In fact, every year since the Dark Lord's final downfall, more and more children had been accepted to Hogwarts.

_That one's going to be trouble. _Chastity informed Harry as a young man named Johan Shrevit had just sat on the stool. _He spoke to another child as young Malfoy spoke to you all through first year. Keep your eye on him._

Harry voiced his thanks to the castle for informing him through his mind's tongue. It had only taken the young man two weeks after his induction to figure out how to communicate with the castle via thought instead of spoken word on his part.

Finally, the first years were sorted, and the Headmaster stood. Casting a wandless and wordless sonorus, he called the attention of the young students. "I would like to remind the older years, and inform the new arrivals that the Forbidden Forest is strictly out of bounds unless accompanied by Mr. Filch, Mr. Hagrid, or myself. Also, you will all find a list of the areas within the castle that are off-limits in your common-rooms, I advise you look over them once you have finished eating. To avoid confusion, I ask that you do not call be Headmaster or Professor Snape, but instead, Headmaster or Professor Potter. It is simply easier to deal with that way. And now, in remembrance of a very wise man, I leave you with a few words. Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

Harry sat down as the banquet was revealed, smiling mischievously as several of the professor's chuckled, and the first years began questioning his sanity, just as he had done when he was 11 and heard his headmaster say those four seemingly insane words.

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_**A/N: **_I am starting a sequal following the life of Harry as Headmaster called, 'Learning to Answer'. It will contain flashbacks to unanswered questions in this story, so if you have questions, please voice them so they might be answered in the next story.


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